Tamper evidence bridges
An apparatus and a method are provided for a container cap comprising a plurality of tamper evidence bridges configured to provide evidence that the container cap has been removed from a container by other than a manufacturer of the container. The tamper evidence bridges comprise a small tab of material that extends from a bottom-most edge of the container cap to a neck ring of the container. The tamper evidence bridges are configured to break, or snap, when the container cap is rotated relative to the neck ring. Broken tamper evidence bridges provide readily visible evidence to an end-user of the container that the container cap has been removed by other than the manufacturer of the container. The high visibility of the tamper evidence bridges serves to discourage vendors from attempting to refill and resale of the used containers.
1. A container configured to provide highly visible evidence of having been opened by other than a manufacturer of the container, the container comprising:
a base extending to a sidewall;
a shoulder connected between the sidewall and a bell, a diameter of the bell decreasing as the bell extends to a neck;
a finish connected to the neck and configured to receive a container cap, the finish defining an opening to an interior of the container and presenting at least one thread; and
a tamper evidence bridge positioned between the finish and a thin film area of the container cap opposite the at least one thread when the cap is operably secured to the finish such that the tamper evidence bridge tears or removes the thin film area in response to rotation of the container cap relative to the finish.
2. The container of claim 1 , wherein the tamper evidence bridge is one of a plurality of tamper evidence bridges uniformly spaced around the perimeter of the container cap.
3. The container of claim 1 , wherein the tamper evidence bridge is one of three tamper evidence bridges spaced at substantially 120-degree intervals with respect to the container cap.
4. The container of claim 1 , wherein the thin film area comprises a region of the container cap thinner than other regions of the container cap.
5. A tamper evidence assembly for a container, the assembly comprising:
a cap having a top wall and a generally cylindrical sidewall extending therefrom, the sidewall including a first portion with a first radial thickness and a second portion circumferentially spaced from the first portion and with a second radial thickness not equal to the first radial thickness;
a container neck finish; and
a bridge positioned between the neck finish and the second portion such that the bridge is configured to tear or remove the second portion in response to rotation of the cap relative to the neck finish.
6. The tamper evidence assembly of claim 5 , wherein the assembly does not comprise a tamper evidence band.
7. The tamper evidence assembly of claim 5 , wherein the bridge is coupled to a neck ring of the neck finish.
8. The tamper evidence assembly of claim 5 , wherein the bridge is a thread of the container neck finish.
9. The tamper evidence assembly of claim 5 , wherein the second portion is in the form of a thin film.