CN106536360B - Tamper-resistant bottle cap assembly including outer housing, related systems and methods - Google Patents

Abstract

A tamper-evident closure assembly (10) for a container (12) having an opening (16) includes a cap (18) configured to be secured to the container (12) to cover the opening (16). A tamper-evident member (20) is carried by the cap (18) and is arranged to provide an indication when the cap (18) is removed from the container (12). The closure assembly (10) further includes an outer shell (22) having a central opening (50) for receiving the cap (18). The outer shell (22) and the cap (18) may be arranged to cooperate with one another such that the cap (18) is operatively secured to the outer shell (22) and mounted to be non-rotatable relative to the outer shell (22). A system for storing material and a method of closing a container and assembling a closure assembly are also provided.

Description

Tamper-resistant bottle cap assembly including outer housing, related systems and methods

Cross References to Related Applications

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14/298,365, filed June 6, 2014, and is entitled to U.S. Provisional Patent Serial No. 62/008,862, filed June 6, 2014 application priority of the application, the disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

technical field

The present invention relates generally to bottle cap assemblies for closing containers having openings, and more particularly to bottle cap assemblies including tamper evident features.

Background technique

Caps and cap assemblies such as cap assemblies comprising caps are often used to close containers having openings. For example, the container can be used to store certain materials or liquids. By closing the opening of the container, the contents contained in the container can be confined within the container and prevented from escaping from the opening.

In applications where ensuring the integrity of the container's contents is important, tamper-evident structures have been used to indicate whether a cap or bottle cap assembly has been removed from the container. For example, the cap or bottle cap combination can break the frangible connection at the first opening to subsequently always visually indicate that the cap or bottle cap combination has been opened at least once.

However, there is still a need for improvement in the field of caps and bottle cap assemblies with tamper-evident structures.

Contents of the invention

The present invention provides improvements to overcome the disadvantages of known cap and bottle cap combinations. While the invention will be described in conjunction with various embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention includes all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the scope of the invention.

A tamper evident cap assembly for a container having an opening is provided. In one embodiment, the bottle cap assembly includes a cap configured to be secured to the container to cover the opening. The bottle cap assembly also includes a tamper evident member carried by the cap and arranged to provide an indication when the cap is removed from the container. The bottle cap assembly also includes an outer shell having a central aperture for receiving the cap. The outer housing and cap may be arranged to cooperate with each other such that the cap is operatively secured to the outer housing and mounted non-rotatably relative to the outer housing.

A system for storing materials is also provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a plurality of containers, each container having an opening and equipped with a tamper-evident cap assembly. Each tamper-evident bottle cap assembly includes a cap secured to the container to cover the opening, a tamper-evident member carried by the cap and arranged to provide an indication when the cap is removed from the container, and an outer shell having a central aperture for receiving the cap body. The cap is operably secured to the outer housing and mounted non-rotatably relative to the outer housing. Each container includes a bottom wall having a cavity. A plurality of containers and their corresponding tamper-evident cap assemblies are arranged to be stacked one above the other such that the top of the cap secured to the lower one of the containers is secured by the top of the cap secured to the bottom wall of the adjacent upper one of the containers. The cavity accommodates.

A method of closing a container having an opening is also provided. In one embodiment, the method includes positioning the outer housing around the cap and a tamper evident member carried by the cap. The method also includes operatively securing the cap to the outer housing such that the cap is received by the central aperture of the outer housing and mounted non-rotatably relative to the outer housing. The method also includes positioning the cap, the tamper-evident member, and the outer housing in alignment with the container opening. The method also includes securing a cap to the container to cover the opening.

A method of assembling a cap assembly configured for use with a container is also provided. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a cap and a tamper-evident member carried by the cap. The cap is arranged to be secured to the container and the tamper-evident member is arranged to provide an indication when the cap has been removed from the container. The method also includes providing an outer housing having a central aperture and positioning the cap coaxial with the outer housing. The method also includes operatively securing the outer housing to the cap such that the cap is received through the central aperture and is non-rotatable relative to the outer housing.

Various additional features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Description of drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description of the invention given above and together with the detailed description given below, serve to explain the invention.

Figure 1 is an isometric view showing a tamper-evident cap assembly incorporated into a container according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the tamper-evident cap assembly includes a cap carrying a tamper-evident member and a cap through which the cap is received. outer shell.

FIG. 2 is an isometric partial exploded view showing the tamper-evident cap assembly and container of FIG. 1. FIG.

2A is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 2A-2A of FIG. 2 showing details of the outer housing of the tamper-evident bottle cap assembly.

Figure 2B is an enlarged view of the surrounding area 2B of Figure 2 showing details of the annular skirt of the cap.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, but with the outer housing shown partially cut away.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along section line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing the tamper-evident cap assembly and container.

Figure 5 is an isometric view of the tamper-evident cap assembly and container after the cap of Figure 1 has been removed from the container, with the outer shell shown partially broken away.

6 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along section line 6-6 of FIG. 5 showing the cap removed from the container and positioned slightly closer to the container than shown in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 7A is an isometric view showing a detail of the bottom wall of the container of FIG. 1 .

7B shows an isometric view of the upper container of the embodiment of FIG. 1 positioned to be stacked on top of the bottle cap assembly of the lower container of the embodiment of FIG. 1 .

Fig. 7C is an isometric view showing the upper container and cap combination of Fig. 7B stacked on top of the lower container and cap combination of Fig. 7B.

Figure 8 shows an isometric view of a tamper-evident cap assembly according to a container incorporating another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an isometric partial exploded view showing the tamper-evident cap assembly and container of FIG. 8. FIG.

10A is an isometric exploded view of the tamper-evident bottle cap assembly of FIG. 8 with the upper portion of the cap of the bottle cap assembly hidden from view.

Figure 10B is an isometric view similar to Figure 10A showing the cap assembled with the outer housing with the upper portion of the cap hidden from view.

11A is an isometric view showing the upper container of the embodiment of FIG. 8 positioned for stacking on top of the bottle cap assembly of the lower container of the embodiment of FIG. 8 .

11B is a side cross-sectional view taken generally along line 11-11 of FIG. 8 showing the upper container of FIG. 11A positioned for stacking on top of the cap assembly of the lower container of FIG. 11A.

11C is a side sectional view similar to FIG. 11B showing the upper container positioned on top of the lower container's cap assembly.

Figure 12 is an isometric view showing the tamper evident cap assembly of Figure 8 combined with a container according to another embodiment of the present invention.

13A is an isometric view showing the upper container of the embodiment of FIG. 12 positioned for stacking on top of the bottle cap assembly of the lower container of the embodiment of FIG. 12 .

13B is a side cross-sectional view taken generally along line 13-13 of FIG. 12 showing the upper container of FIG. 13A positioned for stacking on top of the cap assembly of the lower container of FIG. 13A.

14A is an isometric view showing a wrench for applying and/or removing a bottle cap assembly from a container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 14B is an isometric view showing removal of the bottle cap assembly from its container using the wrench of Figure 14A.

Detailed ways

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to Figures 1 to 3, there is shown a tamper evident cap assembly 10 and container 12 in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The container 12 has a body 13 defining an interior cavity 15 and a neck 14 extending upwardly from the body 13 and defining an annular opening 16 in communication with the interior cavity 15. As shown, the cap assembly 10 may be secured to the container 12 to close or substantially seal the opening 16, thereby containing a material (not shown), such as particulates, within the container 12. As shown in FIG. The bottle cap assembly 10 includes a cap 18, a tamper-evident member 20 carried by the cap 18, and an outer housing 22 positioned around and operatively secured to the cap 18 such that the cap 18 is inaccessible relative to the outer housing 22. rotate.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cap 18 includes a top wall 24 and a boss 26 projecting upwardly from the top wall 24 . The boss 26 is generally polygonal in shape. For example, as shown, boss 26 may be generally octagonal and include a set of eight sides, four of which are generally flat sides 28a and four of which are generally curved sides 28b. Each curved side 28b may be positioned between an adjacent set of flat sides 28a. Boss 26 may also include a generally flat top surface 30 and a rounded top edge 32 .

The annular skirt wall 34 depends axially downward from the cap top wall 24 and may include a plurality of evenly spaced axial ribs 36a (projecting radially outward and defining a corresponding plurality of ribs between each adjacent pair of ribs 36a). Axial groove 36b). As shown in FIG. 2B, an outwardly projecting annular flange 38 may be provided on the bottom of the skirt wall 34 adjacent the axial rib 36a, and the flange may extend circumferentially around the skirt wall 34. While the annular flange 38 is shown as a continuous structure, it is understood that the annular flange 38 may alternatively be non-continuous. As described in more detail below, the annular flange 38 is operable to secure the cap 18 to the outer housing 22 .

As described in more detail below, a tamper-evident member 20 carried by the cap 18 is configured to provide an indication when the cap 18 has been removed from the container 12 . In one embodiment, as shown, the tamper-evident member 20 includes a tamper-evident band 40 frangibly connected to a lower edge 42 of the cap 18 . In particular, a frangible connection between the strap 40 and the cap 18 is provided by a plurality of frangible webs 44 of weakness.

As described below, the band 40 is arranged to remain on the neck 14 of the container 12 and the weak web 44 forming the frangible connection is arranged to break when the cap 18 is removed from the neck 14 for the first time, thereby allowing the cap 18 to separate from the band 40 . Thus, it is apparent to the user that the cap 18 has been removed from the container 12 at least once.

Additionally, as shown, the band 40 may be formed with one or more circumferentially spaced notches 46, such as to retain material during production. As shown in FIG. 2, the strap 40 may also include a stop element 48a configured to receive and engage a corresponding abutment element 48b (disposed on the lower edge 42 of the cap 18). Specifically, the stop element 48a is engageable with the abutment element 48b when the cap 18 is threaded onto the neck 14 of the container 12 . Thus, rotational forces applied to the cap 18 during assembly may be transmitted to the band 40 through the engagement of the elements 48a, 48b rather than through the weakened web 44. As a result, unexpected fatigue or failure of the weak web 44 can be avoided. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4 , a stop element 48 a may also be provided on the lower edge 42 of the cap 18 and a corresponding abutment element 48 b may also be provided on the band 40 .

In the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 22 includes a central aperture 50 through which the cap 18 is received (to operably secure the cap 18 to the outer housing 22 ). Outer housing 22 may include an outer annular wall 52 defining an outer perimeter of outer housing 22 and an inner annular wall 54 defining central aperture 50. The outer and inner annular walls 52 , 54 may be joined together by a web-shaped upper wall 53 . In addition, the outer casing 22 is substantially polygonal. Specifically, the outer housing 22 is generally octagonal to correspond in size and shape with the generally octagonal outer perimeter defined by the body 13 of the container 12 . In this regard, the outer perimeter of the outer housing 22 may include a set of eight end faces, four of which are generally flat sides 56a, and four of which are generally curved sides 56b. Each curved side 56b is positioned between an adjacent set of flat sides 56a.

As best shown in FIG. 1, the body 13 of the container 12 may include sets of similar patterns as generally flat sides 58a and generally curved sides 58b. When the outer shell 22 is engaged with the cap 18 and is secured to the container 12, the outer perimeter of the outer shell 22 can be approximately the same size and shape as the outer perimeter (e.g., the radially outermost or largest perimeter) of the container body 12. correspond. Specifically, the flat side 56a of the outer housing 22 can be aligned with the corresponding flat side 58a of the container body 13, and the curved side 56b of the outer housing 22 can be aligned with the corresponding curved side 58b of the container body 13. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1 , the size and shape of the outer periphery of the container body 13 can generally be maintained along the height of the assembled container 12 and bottle cap assembly 10 . This maintenance of the size and shape of the container body 13 enables advantageous positioning of the first container and cap combination relative to the second container and cap combination, for example by stacking or grouping, as described below. It is understood that body 13 can be formed at any suitable height.

In one embodiment, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A , the inner annular wall 54 may include a plurality of evenly spaced axial ribs 60 a projecting radially inwardly and defining each pair of adjacent ribs. A corresponding plurality of axial grooves 60b between sides 60a. The axial rib 60a and corresponding axial groove 60b on the outer housing 22 can be sized and arranged to mate with the axial rib 36a and corresponding axial groove 36b on the cap 18, respectively. Thus, as described below, when cap 18 is received within central aperture 50 and secured with outer housing 22, cap 18 is rotationally locked with outer housing 22 such that cap 18 and outer housing 22 rotate together. . In this manner, rotational forces applied to the outer housing 22 are transmitted directly to the cap 18 through the engaging axial ribs 36a, 60a and axial grooves 36b, 60b. Similarly, rotational forces applied to the cap 18 are transmitted directly to the outer housing 22 through the engaged axial ribs 36a, 60a and axial grooves 36b, 60b. In alternative embodiments, the cap 18 and outer housing 22 may be provided with any other feature suitable for rotatably locking the cap 18 with the outer housing 22.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 , in one embodiment, cap 18 is received within central aperture 50 of outer housing 22 and cap 18 is operatively secured to outer housing 22 as now described. For example, the cap 18 is releasably engaged with the outer housing 22 . As best shown in FIGS. 2 , 2A and 4 , the inner annular wall 54 of the outer housing 22 may include an annular lug 62 axially spaced below an axial rib 60 a to define a circular groove 64 . As shown in FIG. 4 , the cap 18 may be mounted within the outer housing 22 such that the circumferential groove 64 engages and retains the outwardly projecting annular flange 38 on the cap 18 . Additionally, the inner annular wall 54 may be biased toward the skirt wall 34 of the cap. In this manner, the cap 18 is operatively secured to the outer housing 22 , for example, preventing upward axial movement of the outer housing 22 relative to the cap 18 .

As best shown in FIG. 4 , the inner annular wall 54 of the outer housing 22 may also include an angled surface 66 defining an annular detent 68 (inwardly projecting). The annular detent 68 may abut against the top wall 24 of the cap 18 and thereby prevent downward axial movement of the outer housing 22 relative to the cap 18. Thus, the annular detent 68 defining the circumferential groove 64 and the annular lug 62 cooperate together to prevent or at least minimize axial movement of the outer housing 22 relative to the cap 18, as shown, or alternatively, the annular The detent and annular lug may be discontinuous. Also, as described above, the outer housing 22 and cap can be substantially prevented from Between 18 swivel movements. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, the outer housing 22 and cap 18 are generally axially fixed and rotationally opposed to each other.

In one embodiment, the annular skirt 34 of the cap 18 and the tamper-evident member 20 are circumferentially surrounded by the outer housing 22 when the cap 18 is secured to the outer housing 22 . Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 , the inner annular wall 54 circumferentially surrounds the annular skirt wall 34 and the outer annular wall 52 extends axially beyond the inner annular wall 54 to circumferentially surround the tamper evident member 20. Additionally, the cap 18 may be mounted with the outer housing 22 such that the cap boss 26 projects axially from the central aperture 50 . Specifically, the top of boss 26 , including top surface 30 , may extend beyond upper wall 53 of outer housing 22 . A generally annular cavity 74 is defined between the sides 28a, 28b of the cap boss 26 and the angled surface 66 of the outer housing 22 .

As noted above, the cap 18 may be secured to the container 12 to close the container opening 16 . In one embodiment, the cap 18 is threadably engageable with the container neck 14 . In particular, the radially inner surface of the cap skirt 34 may include a threaded portion 70 configured to engage a corresponding threaded portion 72 (disposed on the radially outer surface of the container neck 14 ). The threaded portions 70, 72 may comprise helical threads or any other structure suitable for releasable engagement, such as non-helical protrusions. Additionally, the cap 18 may fit a disc-shaped sealing member 76 that provides a seal between the cap 18 and the mouth 78 of the container 12 . Sealing member 76 may be fabricated from any material suitable for producing a reliable seal, which may be a hermetic seal.

As noted above, when the cap 18 is secured to the container 12, the tamper-evident band 40 is secured to the container neck 14. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 , in one embodiment, the radially inner surface of the band 40 may include radially inwardly projecting and annular ribs 82 (projecting radially outwardly from the neck 14 of the container 12 ). engaged ring pawl 80 . Each of the annular pawl 80 and the annular rib 82 may be continuous or non-continuous. For example, annular pawl 80 may include a plurality of circumferentially spaced annular segments. As noted above, and with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 , the annular rib 82 may be placed over and adjacent to the annular detent 80 as described below to thereby retain the band 40 on the container neck 14 when the cap 18 is removed from the container 12. superior.

Referring to Figures 2 to 4, with the various features described above in mind, a method of closing a container 12 using the tamper-evident cap assembly 10 will now be described. In one embodiment, the outer housing 22 can be placed over and around the cap such that: (i) the inner annular wall 54 of the outer housing 22 and the annular skirt wall 34 of the cap 18 are coaxially aligned; and (iii) the axial ribs and grooves 36a, 36b of the cap 18 are aligned in parallel with the axial ribs and grooves 60a, 36b of the outer housing 22, 60b are engaged and aligned. The cap 18 and outer housing 22 can then be axially pressed together so that the cap 18 is received into the central aperture 50 of the outer housing 22 and the two assemblies 18, 22 secured in the manner described above so that they are not rotatable relative to each other. The assembled outer housing 22 and cap 18 and the tamper-evident member 20 carried by the cap can then be provided to the container opening 16 of the container 12. Cap 18 may be coaxially aligned with mouth 78 (defined by container neck 14). A rotational force, for example in a clockwise direction, may be applied to the outer housing 22 or to the cap boss 26 to threadably engage the cap 18 to the container neck 14 .

In embodiments where the threaded portions 70 , 72 on the cap 18 and the neck 14 are helical, rotating the cap 18 allows the cap assembly 10 to advance downwardly into the container body 13 . In this manner, the cap 18 can be pulled taut to the neck 14 so that the annular detent 80 on the tamper-evident band 40 snaps onto and engages the annular rib 82 on the container neck 14. join. As noted above, the stop member 48a and the abutment member 48b may cooperate to prevent the weakened web 44 from breaking when the cap 18 is rotated onto the bottle neck 14.

As generally described herein with respect to the preferred embodiment, the outer housing 22 may be secured to the cap 18 prior to securing the cap 18 to the container 12, such as by threaded engagement. In this way, the combined outer housing 22, cap 18 and tamper-evident member 20 carried by the cap can then be joined to the container 12 in a subsequent step. In an alternative embodiment, the cap 18 and tamper-evident member 20 carried by the cap may first be secured to the container 12 in the manner described above, and the outer housing 22 then secured to the cap 18 in the manner described above. Preferably, after the outer housing 22 is secured to the cap during assembly of the bottle cap assembly 10, the outer housing 22 and the cap 18 remain fixed to each other during subsequent use of the bottle cap assembly 10.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 , the cap 18 is removable from the container 12 to break the frangible connection formed by the frangible web 44 of the tamper-evident member 20 . Specifically, cap 18 may be rotated, such as by applying a counterclockwise rotational force to outer housing 22 or cap boss 26 , thereby advancing cap 18 and outer housing 22 axially upwardly away from container body 13 . As the cap 18 continues upwardly, the tamper-evident band 40 remains on the bottle neck 14 by the annular rib 82, and the weak web 44 stretches and eventually fails, causing the frangible connection to break. As shown, the combined cap 18 and outer shell 22 can be lifted from the container 12, thereby exposing the broken weak web 44 and tamper-evident band 40 to indicate to the user and any subsequent users that the container 12 has been opened. The combined cap 18 and outer housing 22 may then be resecured with the container 12 as generally described above.

Referring to Figures 7A through 7C, the bottom wall 90 of the container 12 may be formed with a recess or cavity 92 (extending axially toward the neck 14 and having a cavity base 93). Cavity 92 may be sized and shaped such that the top of cap boss 26 may be received within the cavity. For example, cavity 92 may be formed to generally correspond in size and shape to flat side 28 a and curved side 28 b of octagonal arrangement of boss 26 . Also, the bottom wall 90 may include a flat base surface 94 formed to substantially correspond in size to the upper wall 53 of the outer housing 22 .

Referring to Figures 7B and 7C, upper and lower containers 112a and 112b and corresponding upper and lower tamper-evident cap assemblies 110a and 110b are shown. Containers 112a, 112b may each include the same features as container 12 described above. Similarly, the tamper-evident cap assemblies 110a, 110b may each include the same features as the tamper-evident cap assembly 10 described above. In this regard, the same reference numbers refer to the same features. Also, the bottle cap assembly 110a, 110b and corresponding container 112a, 112b may be assembled in the manner generally described above. For example, in one embodiment, the outer housing 22 may first be secured to the cap 18 and the combination thereof may then be secured to the corresponding container 112a, 112b. In another embodiment, the cap 18 may be secured to the corresponding container 112a, 112b first and the outer housing 22 may be secured to the cap 18 subsequently.

As shown, the containers 112a, 112b and corresponding cap assemblies 10a, 10b may be stacked one upon the other such that the upper container 112a is nested with the lower cap assembly 110b. Specifically, the protruding top of the cap boss 26 of the lower cap assembly 110b is receivable within the cavity 92 (formed in the bottom wall 90 of the upper container 112a). Additionally, the flat base surface 94 on the bottom wall 90 of the upper container 112a can contact and be supported by the upper wall 53 of the lower cap assembly 110b.

As shown, the outer perimeter of the body 13 of the upper container 112a may generally align with the outer perimeter of the outer shell 22 of the lower cap assembly 110b. As described above with respect to the container 12 and cap assembly 10 , the largest outer perimeter of the outer shell 22 may be aligned with the largest outer perimeter of the container 12 . Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 7C , the outer shell 22 of the upper cap assembly 110a, the upper container 112a, the outer shell 22 of the lower cap assembly 110b, and the lower container 112b may each have their largest outer peripheries aligned with each other. In this manner, the stacked assemblies 110a, 112a, 110b, 112b can define an overall outer perimeter of generally uniform shape along the height of the stacked assembly. For example, this feature is advantageous for stacking multiple containers 12 and corresponding tamper-evident cap assemblies 10, and for arranging multiple sets of stacked assemblies side-by-side.

Referring to Figures 8 to 11C, a bottle cap assembly 210 and container 212 are shown according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Cap assembly 210 and container 212 are similar in structure and function to cap assembly 10 and container 12 of FIG. 1 , except otherwise as described below. In this regard, like reference numerals, including those not described in detail below, refer to like features shown and described in connection with the bottle cap assembly 10 and container 12 of FIGS. 1 through 7C .

The bottle cap assembly 210 includes a cap 218, a tamper-evident member 220 carried by the cap 218, and an outer housing 222 that can be placed around the cap 218 and is operatively fixed to the cap 218 such that the cap 218 is relatively Housing 22 is not rotatable.

The cap 218 includes a top wall 224 and a boss 226 protruding upward from the top wall 224 . Boss 226 may be generally polygonal. For example, as shown, boss 226 may be generally octagonal and include a set of eight sides, four of which are generally flat sides 228a and four of which are generally curved sides 228b. Each curved side 228b may be positioned between an adjacent set of flat sides 228a. Boss 226 may also include a generally planar top surface 230 .

An annular skirt wall 234 depends axially downward from the cap top wall 224 and includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced planar end faces 235 . For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the skirt wall 234 includes four planar end faces 235 spaced about 90 degrees apart. In alternative embodiments, any suitable number and circumferential arrangement of flat end faces 235 may be provided. Each flat end surface 235 includes an axial rib 236 protruding radially outward and extending axially. As described in more detail below, the flat end surface 235 and axial rib 236 engage corresponding structures on the outer housing 222 to prevent relative rotation between the cap 218 and the outer housing 222 .

An outwardly projecting annular flange 238 is formed on the bottom of the skirt wall 234 at the lower end of the flat end surface 235 and may extend circumferentially around the skirt wall 234 . While annular flange 238 is shown as a continuous structure, it is understood that annular flange 238 may alternatively be formed from one or more non-continuous segments. As described in more detail below, annular flange 238 functions to secure cap 218 to outer housing 222 .

It will be appreciated that the tamper-evident member 220 carried by the cap 218 is substantially similar in structure and function to the tamper-evident member 20 described above. Accordingly, the tamper evident member 220 is not described in detail herein.

The outer housing 222 includes a central aperture 250 through which the cap 218 is received to operably secure the cap 218 to the outer housing 222 . Outer housing 222 includes an outer annular wall 252 defining an outer perimeter of outer housing 222 and an inner annular wall 254 defining central aperture 250 . The outer and inner annular walls 252 , 254 may be joined together by a web-shaped upper wall 253 . Additionally, the outer housing 222 is generally polygonal in shape. Specifically, the outer housing 222 is generally octagonal to generally correspond in size and shape to the outer perimeter (generally octagonal) defined by the body 213 of the container 212 . In this regard, the outer perimeter of the outer housing 222 may include a set of eight end faces, four of which are generally flat sides 256a, and four of which are generally curved sides 256b. Each curved side 256b may be positioned between an adjacent set of flat sides 256a.

As best shown in 11B, the inner annular wall 254 of the outer housing 222 includes an angled surface 266 that defines an inwardly projecting upper annular detent 268 . The annular detent 268 abuts the top wall 224 of the cap 218 and thereby prevents downward axial movement of the outer housing 222 relative to the cap 218 .

The inner annular wall 254 also includes a cylindrical surface 263 extending downwardly from an annular detent 268. The cylindrical surface 263 includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced flat end faces 265 each having an axial groove 267 providing a tapered lead-in portion 269 . The number and circumferential arrangement of the axial grooves 267 on the flat end surface 265 and the outer housing 222 generally correspond to the number and circumferential arrangement of the axial ribs 236 on the flat end surface 235 and the cap 218 . In this regard, although four flat end faces 265 and axial grooves 267 spaced at 90 degree intervals are shown herein, any suitable alternative number and arrangement may be provided. Cylindrical surface 263 also includes a circumferential groove 264 positioned adjacent planar end surface 265 .

As shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B , the central aperture 250 of the cap 218 and the outer housing 222 are coaxially aligned and received therein so that the skirt wall 234 of the cap 218 faces and engages the opening of the outer housing 222. Annular inner wall 254 . Specifically, each flat end face 235 and axial rib 236 on the cap 218 is aligned with a corresponding one of the flat end face 265 and axial groove 267 (formed on the outer housing 222) and is bounded by the corresponding flat end face and axial rib 236. One of the recesses accommodates. The tapered lead-in portion 269 of the axial groove 267 facilitates alignment of the axial rib 236 and the axial groove 267 during assembly. The engagement between the flat end surfaces 235, 265 and between the axial rib 236 and the axial groove 267 generally prevents relative rotation between the cap 218 and the outer housing 222. Also, the outwardly projecting annular flange 238 formed on the cap 218 is received in a snap-fit engagement by the peripheral groove 264 on the outer housing 222 , thereby preventing undesired axial separation of the cap 218 from the outer housing 222 .

As best shown in FIGS. 8 and 11A , the assembled cap 218 and outer housing 222 define an annular cover seam 271 where the lower edge of the angled surface 266 of the outer housing 222 is directly opposite the top wall 224 of the cap 218 . In one embodiment, the assembled cap 218 and outer housing 222 may be ultrasonically welded together at annular cap seam 271, thereby creating a welded band between the cap 218 and outer housing 222 to further prevent the assembled cap 218 from Relative rotation or axial movement with the outer casing 222 . Ultrasonic welding, or any other suitable method of permanent attachment, may be used at various alternative or additional locations (with the surface of the outer housing 222 facing the surface of the cap 218). Accordingly, the outer housing 222 and cap 218 may be generally axially fixed and rotatable relative to each other. In many preferred embodiments, the cap 218 may be coupled to the outer housing 222 prior to securing the cap assembly 210 to the neck 214 of the container 212 as generally described above.

As best shown in FIG. 11B , outer housing 222 circumferentially surrounds skirt wall 234 and boss 226 of cap 218 when assembled. Also, the structure of cap 218 and outer housing 222 is dimensioned such that top surface 230 of cap boss 226 does not extend axially beyond the upper wall of outer housing 222 when cap 218 is fully mated to outer housing 222 . More specifically, in the exemplary embodiment, the top surface 230 of the boss 226 and the top surface of the upper wall 253 are substantially coplanar. Thus, and advantageously, the outer housing 222 generally protects the cap 218 from unwanted contact with external objects. In addition, the outer housing 222 can act as a shock absorbing structure when external forces are applied to the bottle cap assembly 210, generally sideways, such as if the bottle cap assembly 210 is dropped, an external force is applied by an external object or the ground. In this regard, the outer annular wall 252 can be elastically deformed radially inwardly towards the inner annular wall 254, and then spring back to the original shape of the outer annular wall, thereby absorbing most of the external force, rather than transmitting the external force to the cap 218. Also, when impacted by an external force, the outer case 222 may be separated from the cap 218 so that the outer case 222 absorbs the impact of the impact without transmitting the impact to the cap 218 .

As best shown in FIG. 8 , the body 213 of the container 212 may generally include flat sides 258a and curved sides 258b in a pattern similar to the flat and curved sides 256a, 256b of the outer housing 222. When the outer housing 222 and cap 218 are engaged, which in turn is secured to the container 212, the outer perimeter of the outer housing 222 generally corresponds in size and shape to the outer perimeter (e.g., the radially outermost or largest perimeter) of the container body 213. As best shown in FIGS. 11B and 11C , the upper and lower portions of the container body 213 may be formed with slightly larger radial dimensions than the central portion of the container body 213. Body 213 can be formed at any suitable height.

11A and 11C , the assembled tamper-evident cap assembly 210 and container 212 can be stacked with one or more additional cap assemblies 210 and container 212 . As best shown in FIGS. 8 and 11A , the assembled cap 218 and outer housing 222 define a generally annular cavity 274 formed between the sides 228a, 228b of the cap boss 226 and the outer housing 222. Angular surfaces 266 extend between them. The annular cavity 274 is generally sized and shaped to accommodate a bottom wall 290 projecting axially outward from the bottom end of the container 212 . The bottom wall 290 is surrounded by a planar base surface 294 (corresponding generally in size and shape to the upper wall 253 of the outer housing 222). Bottom wall 290 includes a central cavity 292 having a cavity base 293 generally sized and shaped to receive the top of cap boss 226 including top surface 230 . Bottom wall 290 may also include a pair of diametrically opposed channels 296 , each opening at an inner end to central cavity 292 and at an outer end to base surface 294 .

Thus, as shown in FIG. 11C , the upper container 212 can be stacked or embedded with the bottle cap assembly 210 of the lower container 212 such that the protruding bottom wall 290 of the upper container 212 is accommodated in the annular cavity of the lower bottle cap assembly 210 Inside the body 274. Additionally, the upper portion of the cap boss 226 of the lower cap assembly 210 is received within the central cavity 292 of the upper container 212 . In this way, the base surface 294 and the cavity base 293 of the upper container 212 are respectively facing the upper wall 253 and the cap top surface 230 of the lower bottle cap assembly 210 and are formed by the upper wall and the cap top surface 230 of the lower bottle cap assembly respectively. Cap top surface support.

7C, the outer perimeter of the body 213 of the upper container 212 may be substantially aligned with the outer perimeter of the outer shell 222 of the lower cap assembly 210 and generally correspond in size and shape to that of the lower cap assembly. The outer perimeter of the outer shell. Thus, the stacked container 212 and cap assembly 210 can define an overall outer perimeter of generally uniform shape along the height of the stacked assembly.

Referring to Figures 12 to 13B, a bottle cap assembly 210 is shown in relation to a container 312 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Cap assembly 210 may be secured to container 312 in a manner similar to that described above in connection with Figures 1 through 11C.

Container 312 includes a body 313 defining an interior cavity 315 and a neck 314 extending upwardly from body 313 and defining a circular opening 316 (communicating with interior cavity 315). , the body 313 is similar in cross-sectional shape to the container body 13, 213 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8 and additionally includes a recessed handle 317 that can be grasped by the user's hand. In the illustrated embodiment, the recessed handle 317 extends around at least half of the outer perimeter of the container body 313 to provide a gripping surface for the user. The outer periphery of the body 313 can be formed with a larger radial dimension than that of the container 12 , 212 corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 8 . For example, the container 12, 212 of Figures 1 and 8 is sized to define an internal volume in the range of about 350ml to about 1500ml, whereas the container 312 may be sized to define an internal volume of at least about 2500ml.

The container body 313 includes a plurality of generally flat sides 358a separated by a plurality of generally curved sides 358b. For example, sides 358a, 358b may be arranged to define a generally octagonal outer perimeter of container 312 . The body 313 also includes an upper tapered portion 359a extending from the upper ends of the sides 358a, 358b in a direction towards the bottle neck 314 . As shown in FIG. 13A , the body 313 also includes a lower tapered portion 359b extending from the lower ends of the sides 358a , 358b along toward the bottom end of the container 312 . Each upper and lower tapered portion 359a, 359b includes a plurality of alternating flat and curved end surfaces corresponding to respective flat and curved sides 358a, 358b. As best shown in FIG. 13A , the cap assembly 210 can be secured to the container 312 such that the sides 256a, 256b of the outer housing 222 and the sides 358a, 358b of the container 312 are aligned. The outer perimeter of the container 312 extends radially outward beyond the outer perimeter of the bottle cap assembly 210 .

As shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B , the assembled tamper-evident cap assembly 210 and container 312 are combined with one or more additional cap assemblies 210 in a manner similar to that described above in connection with FIGS. 11A to 11C . And container 312 is stackable. In this regard, the bottom end of container 312 includes generally similar features as the bottom end of container 212 shown in FIG. 11A. Specifically, container 312 includes a raised bottom wall 290, a generally planar base surface 394 surrounding bottom wall 290, a central cavity 392 formed in bottom wall 390 and having a cavity base 393, and a pair of diametrically opposed Channel 396. It will be appreciated that the general dimensions of the cap assembly 210 and containers 212, 312 may vary as desired provided that the mating features of the cap assembly 210 and containers 212, 312 are maintained in proper proportions to achieve the aforementioned stackability.

Referring to Figures 14A and 14B, an exemplary wrench 400 for attaching and removing a bottle cap assembly from a container is shown. While wrench 400 is shown and described herein in conjunction with bottle cap assembly 210 and container 212, it is understood that wrench 400 may equally be used in conjunction with any of the bottle cap assemblies and containers described herein.

The wrench 400 generally includes a handle portion 402 and a grip portion 404 . The grip portion 404 is shaped to be received within the annular cavity 274 of the bottle cap assembly 210 and to engage the sides 228a, 228b of the cap boss 226 . For example, gripping portion 404 is generally C-shaped such that distal surface 406 of gripping portion 404 is engageable with flat side 228a of cap boss 226 and two adjacent curved sides 228b of the flat side. The proximal surface 408 of the clamping portion 404 may be curved to engage the angled surface of the outer housing 222 . The wrench 400 may also include an outer annular wall 252 flange portion 410 extending downwardly from the handle portion 402 for engaging the outer housing 222 when the handle portion 402 is facing the upper wall 253 . Wrench 400 may be of the type disclosed in its entirety in US Patent Application Serial No. 14/199,669, filed March 6, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

As shown in FIG. 14B , the handle portion 402 functions as a moment arm, and the handle portion can be clamped and rotated about the central axis of the container 212 and bottle cap assembly 210 for threaded engagement or disengagement relative to the container 212. Tighten or loosen the cap assembly 210. For example, the wrench 400 may be manipulated to rotate the cap assembly 210 counterclockwise for loosening the cap assembly 210 from the container 212 or clockwise for tightening the cap assembly 210 onto the container 212 .

While the invention has been illustrated by describing particular embodiments thereof, and although the embodiments have been described in some detail, it is not intended that the scope of the appended claims be limited or in any way limited to such details. The different features described herein can be used alone or in combination. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, the representative apparatus and method, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the scope of the general inventive concept.

Claims (26)

1. A tamper-evident bottle cap assembly for a container with an opening, said tamper-evident bottle cap assembly comprising: a cap configured to be secured to the container to close the opening; a tamper-evident member carried by the cap and arranged to provide an indication when the cap is removed from the container; and an outer housing having a central aperture through which the cap is received without rotation relative to each other, the outer housing and the the caps are arranged to cooperate with each other such that the caps are operably secured to the outer housing and mounted non-rotatably relative to the outer housing, Wherein, the outer housing includes a first annular wall and a second annular wall joined to the first annular wall and disposed radially inwardly from the first annular wall, the second annular wall defining the central An aperture is also configured to engage the cap to removably secure the outer housing to the cap. 2. The tamper-evident bottle cap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cap comprises at least one outwardly protruding rib and the second annular wall comprises at least one groove, the groove being configured to The outwardly projecting rib is received to mount the cap such that the cap cannot rotate relative to the outer housing. 3. The tamper-evident bottle cap assembly according to claim 1, wherein said second annular wall includes at least one inwardly projecting detent and said cap includes at least one surface configured to match said surface. Engages at least one detent of the outer housing to limit axial movement of the outer housing relative to the cap. 4. The tamper-evident bottle cap assembly according to claim 1, wherein said cap includes at least one outwardly projecting flange and said second annular wall includes at least one circumferentially extending groove, said At least one circumferentially extending groove is configured to receive the at least one outwardly projecting flange to operably secure the cap to the outer housing. 5. The tamper-evident bottle cap assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer perimeter of the outer shell approximately corresponds in size and shape to the largest outer perimeter of the container. 6. The tamper-evident bottle cap assembly of claim 1 , wherein the top of the cap protrudes from a central aperture of the outer housing and the tamper-evident member is peripherally formed by the outer housing. around. 7. The tamper-evident bottle cap assembly of claim 1 , wherein said cap includes a first plurality of circumferentially spaced flat end faces, and said outer shell comprises a second plurality of circumferentially spaced apart end faces. The plurality of second circumferentially spaced flat end surfaces engages the plurality of first circumferentially spaced flat end surfaces to prevent relative rotation between the outer housing and the cap. 8. The tamper-evident bottle cap assembly according to claim 7, wherein each of the circumferentially spaced flat end faces on the cap includes one of an outwardly protruding rib or a groove, and the A corresponding one of said circumferentially spaced planar end faces on the outer housing includes the other of an outwardly projecting rib or a groove, and wherein each of said outwardly projecting ribs and a corresponding one of said outwardly projecting ribs The recess engages to prevent relative rotation between the outer housing and the cap. 9. The tamper-evident bottle cap assembly of claim 1 , wherein an uppermost surface of the cap and an uppermost surface of the outer shell are substantially coplanar. 10. The tamper-evident bottle cap assembly of claim 1, further comprising an ultrasonically welded bond between said cap and said outer shell. 11. The tamper-evident bottle cap assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer perimeter of the outer shell includes a first pair of opposing flat sides, a second pair of opposing flat sides, a first pair of opposing curved sides, The sides and the second pair of opposing curved sides, the first and second pair of opposing flat sides being separated by the first and second pair of opposing curved sides. 12. A system for storing materials, comprising: A plurality of containers, each container including an opening and equipped with a tamper-evident cap assembly comprising a cap secured to the container to close the opening, carried by the cap and disposed A tamper-evident member for providing an indication when the cap is removed from the container and an outer housing having a central aperture through which the cap is received and an outer perimeter and said cap is non-rotatable with respect to each other, said outer periphery approximately corresponds in size and shape to the largest outer periphery of said container, said outer housing and said cap are arranged to cooperate with each other such that said cap can operatively secured to the outer housing and mounted non-rotatably relative to the outer housing; Wherein, the plurality of containers and the corresponding tamper-evident bottle cap assemblies of the plurality of containers are arranged to be stacked one on top of the other, so that the maximum outer periphery of each container is the same as the tamper-evident bottle installed on the adjacent container. the outer perimeters of the outer shells of the cover assembly are substantially aligned; and wherein said outer housing comprises a first annular wall defining an outer periphery of said outer housing and a second annular wall joined to said first annular wall and disposed radially inwardly from said first annular wall, The second annular wall defines the central aperture and is configured to engage the cap to removably secure the outer housing to the cap. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein each container includes a bottom wall having a cavity sized and shaped to receive the tamper-evident device mounted to an adjacent one of the containers. Open the top of the cap of the cap assembly. 14. A method of closing a container having an opening, said method comprising: positioning the outer housing around the cap and a tamper-evident member carried by the cap; operable to secure the cap to the outer housing such that the cap is received by the central aperture of the outer housing without rotation of the outer housing and the cap relative to each other, the outer the housing and the cap are arranged to cooperate with each other such that the cap is operably secured to the outer housing and mounted non-rotatably relative to the outer housing; positioning the cap, the tamper-evident member, and the outer housing in alignment with the container opening; and securing the cap to the container to cover the opening, wherein said outer housing comprises a first annular wall and a second annular wall joined to said first annular wall and disposed radially inwardly from said first annular wall, said second annular wall defining said central bore and operably securing the cap to the outer housing includes engaging the second annular wall to the cap. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the cap includes an outwardly projecting flange and the second annular wall includes a circumferentially extending groove, and operatively secures the cap to the The outer housing also includes engaging the outwardly projecting flange to the circumferentially extending groove. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein said second annular wall includes at least one inwardly projecting detent, and operatively securing said cap to said outer housing further comprises An inwardly projecting detent engages at least one surface of the cap to limit axial movement of the outer housing relative to the cap. 17. The method of claim 14, further comprising removing the cap from the container, the tamper evident member providing an indication that the cap has been removed. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the cap includes a first plurality of circumferentially spaced flat end surfaces and the outer housing includes a second plurality of circumferentially spaced flat end surfaces, and is operable Positively securing the cap to the outer housing further includes joining the first plurality of circumferentially spaced flat end surfaces to the second plurality of circumferentially spaced flat end surfaces. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein each circumferentially spaced planar end surface on the cap includes one of an outwardly projecting rib or groove, and a corresponding one on the outer housing. One of the circumferentially spaced planar end faces includes the other of outwardly projecting ribs or grooves, and operatively securing the cap to the outer housing further includes attaching each of the outwardly projecting ribs The edge engages the corresponding groove. 20. A method of assembling a bottle cap assembly configured for use with a container, the method comprising: providing a cap and a tamper-evident member carried by the cap, the cap being arranged to be secured to the container and the tamper-evident member being arranged to provide an indication when the cap is removed from the container; providing an outer housing with a central aperture; positioning the cap coaxially with the outer housing; operable to secure the outer housing to the cap such that the cap is received through the central aperture and is non-rotatable relative to the outer housing, wherein said outer housing comprises a first annular wall and a second annular wall joined to said first annular wall and disposed radially inwardly from said first annular wall, said second annular wall defining said central bore and operably securing the outer housing to the cap includes engaging the second annular wall and the cap. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the cap includes at least one outwardly projecting rib and the second annular wall includes at least one groove, and operatively secures the outer housing to The cap includes receiving the at least one outwardly protruding rib with the at least one recess such that the cap cannot rotate relative to the outer housing. 22. The method of claim 20, wherein the second annular wall includes at least one inwardly projecting detent, and operatively securing the outer housing to the cap includes attaching the at least one An inwardly projecting detent engages at least one surface of the cap to limit axial movement of the outer housing relative to the cap. 23. The method of claim 20, wherein said cap includes at least one outwardly projecting flange and said second annular wall includes a circumferentially extending groove, and is operable to place said outer housing Securing to the cap includes receiving the at least one outwardly projecting flange with the circumferentially extending groove. 24. The method of claim 20, wherein the cap includes a first plurality of circumferentially spaced flat end surfaces and the outer housing includes a second plurality of circumferentially spaced flat end surfaces, and is operable Securely securing the outer housing to the cap includes joining the first plurality of circumferentially spaced flat end surfaces to the second plurality of circumferentially spaced flat end surfaces. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein each of said circumferentially spaced planar end faces on said cap includes one of an outwardly projecting rib or a groove, and said outer shell has A corresponding one of the circumferentially spaced apart planar end faces includes the other of an outwardly projecting rib or groove, and operably securing the outer housing to the cap includes placing each of the outwardly projecting ribs A rib engages the corresponding groove. 26. The method of claim 21, further comprising ultrasonically welding the cap to the outer housing.