Tamper indicating band having foldable tabs including tab extensions, tamper indicating closure including such tamper indicating band, and tamper indicating closure including such tamper indicating band and container
View Patent ↗A tamper indicating closure according to the present invention includes a top wall and a skirt depending from the top wall. A tamper indicating band is connected to the skirt along a frangible line. The tamper indicating band includes a ring and at least one tab, the at least one tab having a bi-stable geometric shape. In particular, the tab includes a pair of extending members angled toward one another and connected by a transverse member. The shape of the tab allows it to be molded in a downward orientation and later folded to a stable, upward orientation without reheating or otherwise resetting the tab. The tab also includes a tab extension arranged on at least one of the transverse member and at least one extending member of at least one tab and extending in a direction of extension of the extending members from at least one tab, the tab extension configured to engage at least one container profile.
1. A tamper indicating band for a closure, comprising:
a plastic ring;
a plurality of plastic trapezoidal tabs disposed on the ring, each having a transverse member and extending members, a maximum thickness of the transverse member being substantially equal to a maximum thickness of a tip of each extending member when said thicknesses are measured in the same direction, and each of the tabs having a trapezoidal hole therethrough, each of the tabs formed in a downward direction and constructed to fold to a stable inward and upward orientation; and
a tab extension arranged on at least one of the transverse member and at least one extending member of at least one tab and extending in a direction of extension of the extending members from the at least one tab, the tab extension configured to engage at least one container profile, a thickness of the tab extension in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension less than the maximum thickness of the tip of the extending member.
2. The tamper indicating band according to claim 1 , wherein the trapezoidal hole is located at a base of the trapezoidal tab.
3. The tamper indicating band according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of tabs are arranged circumferentially around the ring.
4. The tamper indicating band according to claim 3 , wherein each of the tabs gradually thickens in a direction toward a tip of the extending members.
5. The tamper indicating band according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of tabs are spaced apart from one another along the ring.
6. A tamper indicating closure for a container, comprising:
a top wall;
an annular skirt depending from the top wall, the annular skirt including an internal thread; and
a tamper indicating band connected to the skirt along a frangible line, the tamper indicating band including:
a plastic ring;
a plurality of plastic tabs each connected to the ring at a base, each of the tabs including a pair of extending members angled toward each other and joined by a transverse member having a maximum thickness substantially equal to a maximum thickness of a tip of each extending member when said thicknesses are measured in the same direction, each of the tabs formed in a downward orientation and constructed to fold to a stable inward and upward orientation; and
a tab extension arranged on at least one of the transverse member and at least one extending member of at least one tab and extending in a direction of extension of the extending members from the at least one tab, the tab extension configured to engage at least one container profile, a thickness of the tab extension in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension less than the maximum thickness of the tip of the extending member.
7. The tamper indicating closure according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of tabs are arranged circumferentially around the ring.
8. The tamper indicating closure according to claim 7 , wherein each of the tabs gradually thickens in a direction toward a tip of the extending members.
9. The tamper indicating closure according to claim 7 , wherein the plurality of tabs are spaced apart from one another along the ring.
10. A tamper indicating closure and container, comprising:
a container having a cylindrical neck, the neck including an external thread and a shoulder below the external thread; and
a closure, including:
a top wall;
an annular skirt depending from the top wall, the annular skirt including an internal thread; and
a tamper indicating band connected to a bottom edge of the skirt along a frangible line, the tamper indicating band including:
a plastic ring;
a plurality of plastic tabs each connected to the ring at a base, each of the tabs including a pair of extending members angled toward each other and joined by a transverse member having a maximum thickness substantially equal to a maximum thickness of a tip of each extending member when said thicknesses are measured in the same direction, each of the tabs formed in a downward orientation and constructed to fold to a stable inward an upward orientation; and
a tab extension arranged on at least one of the transverse member and at least one extending member of at least one tab and extending in a direction of extension of the extending members from the at least one tab, the tab extension configured to engage at least one container profile, wherein the tabs and the tab extensions are arranged to lock under the container shoulder when closure is applied to the container, the tabs and the tab extensions arranged to contact the shoulder when the closure is removed so that the tamper indicating band separates from the skirt along the frangible line.
11. The closure and container according to claim 10 , wherein the plurality of tabs are arranged circumferentially around the ring.
12. The closure and container according to claim 11 , wherein each of the tabs gradually thickens in a direction toward a tip of the extending members.
13. The closure and container according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of tabs are spaced apart from one another along the ring.
14. A tamper indicating closure for a container, comprising:
a top wall;
an annular skirt depending from the top wall, the annular skirt including an internal thread; and
a tamper indicating band connected to the skirt along a frangible line, the tamper indicating band including:
a plastic ring;
a plurality of plastic tabs each connected to the ring at a base, each of the tabs including a pair of extending members angled toward each other and joined by a transverse member having a maximum thickness substantially equal to a maximum thickness of a tip of each extending member when said thicknesses are measured in the same direction, each of the tabs formed in a downward orientation and constructed to fold to a stable inward and upward orientation; and
a tab extension arranged on at least one of the transverse member and at least one extending member of at least one tab and extending in a direction of extension of the extending members from the at least one tab, the tab extension configured to engage at least one container profile, a thickness of the tab extension in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension less than the maximum thickness of the tip of the extending member.
15. The tamper indicating closure according to claim 14 , wherein the plurality of tabs are arranged circumferentially around the ring.
16. The tamper indicating closure according to claim 15 , wherein each of the tabs gradually thickens in a direction toward a tip of the extending members.
17. The tamper indicating closure according to claim 15 , wherein the plurality of tabs are spaced apart from one another along the ring.
18. A tamper indicating band for a closure, comprising
a ring;
a plurality of tabs each connected to the ring at a base, the tabs including a pair of extending members angled toward each other and joined by a transverse member, the tab formed in a downward orientation and constructed to fold to a stable inward and upward orientation; and
a tab extension arranged on at least one of the transverse member and at least one extending member of at least one tab and extending in a direction of extension of the extending members from the at least one tab, the tab extension configured to engage at least one container profile, a thickness of the tab extension in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension less than a maximum thickness of a tip of the extending member from which the tab extension extends.
19. A tamper indicating band for a closure, comprising:
a ring;
a plurality of trapezoidal tabs disposed on the ring, each having a trapezoidal hole therethrough, the tabs formed in a downward orientation and constructed to fold to a stable inward and upward orientation; and
a tab extension arranged on at least one tab extending in a direction of extension of the at least one tab and configured to engage at least one container profile, a thickness of the tab extension in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension less than a maximum thickness of a tip of the extending member from which the tab extension extends.
20. A tamper indicating closure for a container, comprising:
a top wall;
an annular skirt depending from the top wall, the annular skirt including an internal thread; and
a tamper indicating band connected to the skirt along a frangible line, the tamper indicating band including:
a ring;
a plurality of tabs each connected to the ring at a base, the tabs including a pair of extending members angled toward each other and joined by a transverse member, the tab formed in a downward orientation and constructed to fold to a stable inward and upward orientation; and
a tab extension arranged on at least one of the transverse member and at least one extending member of at least one tab and extending in a direction of extension of the extending members from the at least one tab, the tab extension configured to engage at least one container profile, a thickness of the tab extension in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension less than a maximum thickness of a tip of the extending member from which the tab extension extends.
21. A tamper indicating closure and container, comprising:
a container having a cylindrical neck, the neck including an external thread and a shoulder below the external thread; and
a closure, including:
a top wall;
an annular skirt depending from the top wall, the annular skirt including an internal thread; and
a tamper indicating band connected to a bottom edge of the skirt along a frangible line, the tamper indicating band including:
a ring;
a plurality of tabs each connected to the ring at a base, the tabs including a pair of extending members angled toward each other and joined by a transverse member, the tab formed in a downward orientation and constructed to fold to a stable inward and upward orientation; and
a tab extension arranged on at least one of the transverse member and at least one extending member of at least one tab and extending in a direction of extension of the extending members from at least one tab, the tab extension configured to engage at least one container profile, the tabs and the tab extensions configured to lock under the container shoulder when the closure is applied to the container and contact the shoulder when the closure is removed so that the tamper indicating band separates from the skirt along the frangible line.
22. The tamper indicating closure and container according to claim 10 , wherein a thickness of the tab extension in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension is less than the maximum thickness of the tip of the extending member.
23. The tamper indicating closure and container according to claim 21 , wherein a thickness of the tab extension in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension is less than a maximum thickness of a tip of the extending member from which the tab extension extends.
24. A tamper indicating band for a closure, comprising:
a plastic ring;
a plurality of plastic trapezoidal tabs disposed on the ring, each having a transverse member and extending members, and each of the tabs having a trapezoidal hole therethrough, each of the tabs formed in a downward direction and constructed to fold to a stable inward and upward orientation; and
a tab extension arranged on at least one of the transverse member and at least one extending member of at least one tab and extending in a direction of extension of the extending members from the at least one tab, the tab extension configured to engage at least one container profile, a thickness of the tab extension in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension less than the maximum thickness of the tip of the extending member.
25. The tamper indicating closure and container according to claim 1 , wherein the tab extension has a trapezoidal shape.