Snap-top closure device
View Patent ↗A tamper-evident, re-closable container is disclosed, comprising a container body, having a neck portion with a cammed projection, and a mouth rimmed by a lip and a closure having a top portion with a groove to rotatably engage and seal against the lip of the container, and a bottom portion having a contour formed therein to rest under the cammed projection. A breakable tamper-evident section circumferentially connects the top portion of the container to the bottom portion of the container and connecting means connects the top portion to the bottom portion. Rotation of the closure around the mouth of the container causes the cammed projection to force the bottom portion downwardly to break the tamper-evident section. A tamper-evident closure is also described for use with a re-closable container, having a top portion that can be rotated around a mouth of the container to cause a tamper-evident section to break.
1. A tamper-evident, re-closable container, comprising:
a. a container body, having a neck portion with a cammed projection, and a mouth rimmed by a lip;
b. a closure having a snap-open top portion provided with a groove to rotatably engage and seal against the lip of the container, with the groove and lip forming the only interengagement between the top portion of the closure and the neck portion of the container, and a bottom portion having a contour formed therein to rest under the cammed projection;
c. a breakable tamper-evident section circumferentially connecting the top portion of the closure to the bottom portion of the closure; and
d. connecting means additional to said tamper-evident section connecting the top portion to the bottom portion;
whereby rotation of the closure around the mouth of the container causes the cammed projection to move the bottom portion downwardly to break the tamper-evident section while the top portion remains at a constant level on the mouth of the container.
2. The container of claim 1 , further comprising a thumb lever, projecting from the top portion, engagable by a user's thumb to snap the top portion off of the mouth of the container.
3. The container of claim 2 , wherein the thumb lever is contoured to facilitate rotation of the closure and corresponding breakage of the tamper-evident section, by applying pressure thereon.
4. The container of claim 1 , wherein the cammed projection comprises a threaded section encircling the neck of the container.
5. The container of claim 1 , wherein the cammed projection comprises thread segments formed around the neck of the container.
6. The container of claim 1 , wherein the cammed projection comprises an undulated sinusoidal wave form around the neck of the container.
7. The container of claim 1 , further comprising flutes or ribs formed on the bottom portion to provide a gripping surface between a user's hand and the closure.
8. The container of claim 1 , wherein the connecting means comprises a hinged section interrupting the tamper-evident section and movably connecting the top portion to the bottom portion.
9. The container of claim 8 , wherein the hinged section further comprises a flexible joint, located in the bottom portion that allows the top portion to be snapped off the container, while remaining connected to the bottom portion.
10. The container of claim 9 , wherein the hinged section further comprises a breakable section that can be fractured, thereby permitting the top portion of the closure to be separated from the container for recycling purposes.
11. The container of claim 1 wherein the connecting means comprises a thin C-shaped strip, movably connecting the top portion to the bottom portion.
12. The container of claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion and the cammed projection are formed such that the tamper-evident section breaks when the closure is rotated around the mouth of the container between ¼ to 4 rotations.
13. The container of claim 1 , wherein a compound is added to the groove of the top portion to enhance sealing against the lip of the container.