초록

A tamper-evident closure includes a body adapted to mount on a container, a cap, and a hinge coupled to the body and to the cap. A tamper-evident tear strip is coupled to the cap to retain the cap temporarily in a fixed position relative to the body.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A tamper-evident closure comprising a body formed to include a product-dispensing spout and adapted to mount on a container filler neck, the body being formed to include a finger-receiving channel, a lid unit including a flip-top cap, a tear strip extending around a per

The invention claimed is: 1. A tamper-evident closure comprising a body formed to include a product-dispensing spout and adapted to mount on a container filler neck, the body being formed to include a finger-receiving channel, a lid unit including a flip-top cap, a tear strip extending around a perimeter side wall of the flip-top cap, and frangible connectors coupled to the flip-top cap and to the tear strip to retain the tear strip in a temporary anchored position on the flip-top cap, a hinge coupled to the body and to the flip-top cap to support the flip-top cap for movement relative to the body from a closed position on the body covering the product-dispensing spout to an opened position away from the body uncovering the product-dispensing spout, the tear strip including retention fingers arranged to extend into the finger-receiving channel formed in the body to limit movement of the flip-top cap relative to the body from the closed position toward the opened position until the tear strip is separated from the body to leave the temporary anchored position in response to fracture of the frangible connectors, and wherein the tear strip includes a curved band formed to include the retention fingers and a connector support ridge coupled to the curved band and wherein the frangible connectors are coupled to the connector support ridge. 2. The closure of claim 1, wherein the connector support ridge includes a concave curved inwardly facing edge arranged to lie in close proximity and spaced-apart relation to a convex curved portion of the perimeter side wall of the flip-top cap and each frangible connector includes an outer end coupled to the concave curved inwardly facing edge of the connector support ridge and an inner end coupled to the convex curved portion of the perimeter side wall of the flip-top cap. 3. The closure of claim 2, wherein the flip-top cap includes a top wall, the perimeter side wall of the flip-top cap includes an upper section depending from a perimeter portion of the top wall, and the frangible connectors are coupled to the upper section. 4. A tamper-evident closure comprising a body formed to include a product-dispensing spout and adapted to mount on a container filler neck, the body being formed to include a finger-receiving channel, a lid unit including a flip-top cap, a tear strip extending around a perimeter side wall of the flip-top cap, and frangible connectors coupled to the flip-top cap located to retain the tear strip in a circumferentially spaced temporary anchored position on the flip-top cap, the frangible connectors being in close proximity to a top rim of the cap, and a hinge coupled to the body and to the flip-top cap to support the flip-top cap for movement relative to the body from a closed position on the body covering the product-dispensing spout to an opened position away from the body uncovering the product-dispensing spout, the tear strip including retention fingers arranged to extend into the finger-receiving channel formed in the body to limit movement of the flip-top cap relative to the body from the closed position toward the opened position until the tear strip is separated from the body to leave the temporary anchored position in response to fracture of the frangible connectors wherein the flip-top cap further includes a top wall appended to the perimeter side wall, the frangible connectors are arranged to lie in a first plane in close proximity to a second plane established by an exterior surface of the top wall of the flip-top cap, the retention fingers are arranged to lie in a third plane positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to the second plane to locate the first plane between the second and third planes, and wherein the perimeter side wall includes a bottom edge arranged to mate with the body upon movement of the flip-top cap to assume the closed position and to lie in a fourth plane positioned to lie between the first and third planes. 5. The closure of claim 4, wherein the tear strip includes a curved band formed to include the retention fingers and a connector support ridge coupled to the curved band and wherein the frangible connectors are coupled to the connector support ridge. 6. The closure of claim 5, wherein the curved band includes a top rim arranged to lie in the second plane and a bottom rim arranged to lie in a fifth plane, the connector support ridge includes an inwardly facing edge located between the fourth and fifth planes, and each frangible connector includes an outer end coupled to the inwardly facing edge and an inner end coupled to the perimeter side wall of the flip-top cap. 7. The closure of claim 4, wherein the flip-top cap further includes a radially outwardly extending lift tab coupled to the perimeter side wall and arranged to lie in the second plane and wherein the tear strip is formed to include a cutaway channel receiving the radially outwardly extending lift tab therein when the tear strip is retained in the temporary anchored position on the flip-top cap. 8. A tamper-evident closure comprising a body formed to include a product-dispensing spout and adapted to mount on a container filler neck, the body being formed to include a finger-receiving channel, a lid unit including a flip-top cap, a tear strip extending around a perimeter side wall of the flip-top cap, and frangible connectors coupled to the flip-top cap and to the tear strip to retain the tear strip in a temporary anchored position on the flip-top cap, a hinge coupled to the body and to the flip-top cap to support the flip-top cap for movement relative to the body from a closed position on the body covering the product-dispensing spout to an opened position away from the body uncovering the product-dispensing spout, the tear strip including retention fingers arranged to extend into the finger-receiving channel formed in the body to limit movement of the flip-top cap relative to the body from the closed position toward the opened position until the tear strip is separated from the body to leave the temporary anchored position in response to fracture of the frangible connectors, and wherein the tear strip includes a bottom rim arranged to face in a first direction downwardly toward a horizontal landing formed on the body when the flip-top cap is moved to assume the closed position and the tear strip is retained in the temporary anchored position, the tear strip further includes a top rim arranged to face in an opposite second direction, the frangible connectors are arranged to lie in close proximity to the top rim, and the retention fingers are arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the frangible connectors and in close proximity to the bottom rim. 9. A tamper-evident closure comprising a body formed to include a product-dispensing spout and adapted to mount on a container filler neck, the body being formed to include a finger-receiving channel, a lid unit including a flip-top cap, a tear strip extending around a perimeter side wall of the flip-top cap, and frangible connectors coupled to the flip-top cap and to the tear strip to retain the tear strip in a temporary anchored position on the flip-top cap, a hinge coupled to the body and to the flip-top cap to support the flip-top cap for movement relative to the body from a closed position on the body covering the product-dispensing spout to an opened position away from the body uncovering the product-dispensing spout, the tear strip including retention fingers arranged to extend into the finger-receiving channel formed in the body to limit movement of the flip-top cap relative to the body from the closed position toward the opened position until the tear strip is separated from the body to leave the temporary anchored position in response to fracture of the frangible connectors, and wherein the tear strip includes a curved band formed to include the retention fingers and a connector support ridge coupled to the curved band and wherein the frangible connectors are coupled to the connector support ridge, the curved band includes a scalloped inner wall arranged to extend around and face toward the finger-receiving channel formed in the body upon movement of the flip-top cap to assume the closed position, the connector support ridge includes a series of connector supports, each connector support is coupled to the scalloped inner wall and formed to include an inwardly facing edge, and the frangible connectors are coupled to the inwardly facing edges of the connector supports. 10. The closure of claim 9, wherein each connector support is a crescent-shaped thin plate. 11. The closure of claim 9, wherein the inwardly facing edge of each connector support is a concave curved surface. 12. The closure of claim 9, wherein the scalloped inner wall of the curved band includes a concave first curved segment arranged to lie adjacent to a concave second curved segment to form a wave-crest portion therebetween, the wave-crest portion is arranged to extend in a radially inward direction toward the finger-receiving channel formed in the body upon movement of the flip-top cap to assume the closed position, and the scalloped inner wall further includes an undercut segment located at the wave-crest portion and configured to cooperate with the concave first and second curved segments to form one of the retention fingers. 13. A tamper-evident closure comprising a body formed to include a product-dispensing spout and adapted to mount on a container filler neck, the body being formed to include a finger-receiving channel, a lid unit including a flip-top cap, a tear strip extending around a perimeter side wall of the flip-top cap, and frangible connectors coupled to the flip-top cap and to the tear strip to retain the tear strip in a temporary anchored position on the flip-top cap, a hinge coupled to the body and to the flip-top cap to support the flip-top cap for movement relative to the body from a closed position on the body covering the product-dispensing spout to an opened position away from the body uncovering the product-dispensing spout, the tear strip including retention fingers arranged to extend into the finger-receiving channel formed in the body to limit movement of the flip-top cap relative to the body from the closed position toward the opened position until the tear strip is separated from the body to leave the temporary anchored position in response to fracture of the frangible connectors, and wherein the tear strip includes a curved band formed to include the retention fingers and a connector support ridge coupled to the curved band and wherein the frangible connectors are coupled to the connector support ridge, the body includes an exterior side wall, a radially inwardly extending curved landing arranged to merge with an upper portion of the exterior side wall, and a top wall formed to include a peripheral lip arranged to lie above and in spaced-apart relation to the radially inwardly extending curved landing to define the finger-receiving channel therebetween, and wherein the curved band has a bottom rim arranged to face toward and lie in close proximity to the radially inwardly extending curved landing when the tear strip is retained in the temporary anchored position on the flip-top cap and the flip-top cap has been moved to assume the closed position, the retention fingers are arranged to lie next to the bottom rim, the curved band has a top rim arranged to face away from the radially inwardly extending curved landing, and the connector supports are arranged to lie next to the top rim. 14. A tamper-evident closure comprising a body formed to include a product-dispensing spout and adapted to mount on a container filler neck, the body being formed to include a finger-receiving channel, a lid unit including a flip-top cap, a tear strip extending around a perimeter side wall of the flip-top cap, and frangible connectors coupled to the flip-top cap and to the tear strip to retain the tear strip in a temporary anchored position on the flip-top cap, a hinge coupled to the body and to the flip-top cap to support the flip-top cap for movement relative to the body from a closed position on the body covering the product-dispensing spout to an opened position away from the body uncovering the product-dispensing spout, the tear strip including retention fingers arranged to extend into the finger-receiving channel formed in the body to limit movement of the flip-top cap relative to the body from the closed position toward the opened position until the tear strip is separated from the body to leave the temporary anchored position in response to fracture of the frangible connectors, and wherein the tear strip includes a curved band formed to include the retention fingers and a connector support ridge coupled to the curved band and wherein the frangible connectors are coupled to the connector support ridge, the flip-top cap includes a top wall, the perimeter side wall of the flip-top cap depends from a perimeter portion of the top wall of the flip-top cap, and the frangible connectors are coupled to an upper section of the perimeter side wall adjacent to the perimeter portion of the top wall of the flip-top cap. 15. A tamper-evident closure comprising a body formed to include a product-dispensing spout and adapted to mount on a container filler neck, the body being formed to include a finger-receiving channel, a lid unit including a flip-top cap, a tear strip extending around a perimeter side wall of the flip-top cap, and frangible connectors coupled to the flip-top cap and to the tear strip to retain the tear strip in a temporary anchored position on the flip-top cap, a hinge coupled to the body and to the flip-top cap to support the flip-top cap for movement relative to the body from a closed position on the body covering the product-dispensing spout to an opened position away from the body uncovering the product-dispensing spout, the tear strip including retention fingers arranged to extend into the finger-receiving channel formed in the body to limit movement of the flip-top cap relative to the body from the closed position toward the opened position until the tear strip is separated from the body to leave the temporary anchored position in response to fracture of the frangible connectors, and wherein the tear strip includes a curved band and the retention fingers are cantilevered to the curved band. 16. The closure of claim 15, wherein each retention finger is arranged to lie at about a right angle to the curved band. 17. The closure of claim 15, wherein the tear strip further includes a series of horizontal plates cantilevered to the curved band and each horizontal plate is interposed between each pair of adjacent retention fingers. 18. The closure of claim 15, wherein the tear strip further includes a connector support ridge coupled to the curved band and arranged to underlie the retention fingers and the frangible connectors are coupled to the connector support ridge. 19. The closure of claim 15, wherein the curved band is formed to include first and second vertical channels arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate one of the retention fingers therebetween. 20. The closure of claim 19, wherein the tear strip further includes a connector support ridge coupled to the curved band and arranged to underlie the retention fingers and the frangible connectors are coupled to the connector support ridge and wherein the connector support ridge is formed to include first and second horizontal channels, the first horizontal channel is aligned with and an extension of the first vertical channel, the second horizontal channel is aligned with and an extension of the second vertical channel, and the channels cooperate to define weakened sections in the tear strip to buckle and enhance deformation of the tear strip when the tear strip is separated from the flip-top cap. 21. The closure of claim 15, wherein the curved band is formed to include depressions and each depression has an opening on an exterior portion of the curved band facing away from the flip-top cap. 22. The closure of claim 21, wherein each depression is aligned in registry with one of the retention fingers. 23. The closure of claim 21, wherein each depression is triangle-shaped. 24. The closure of claim 23, wherein each depression is oriented to cause a vertex thereof to lie adjacent to a top rim of the tear strip and a leg thereof to lie adjacent to and along a bottom rim of the tear strip. 25. A tamper-evident closure comprises a body formed to include a top wall, an annular perimeter lip arranged to depend at an upper end thereof from a perimeter edge of the top wall and formed to include a radially outwardly opening finger-receiving channel, a landing arranged to extend in a radially outward direction from a lower end of the annular perimeter lip, and a side wall arranged to extend downwardly from a perimeter edge of the landing, a lid unit including a flip-top cap, a tear strip extending around a perimeter side wall of the flip-top cap, and frangible connectors coupled to the flip-top cap and to the tear strip to retain the tear strip in a temporary anchored position on the flip-top cap, the tear strip including retention fingers, and a curved band formed to include a top rim arranged to face in a first direction and a bottom rim arranged to face in an opposite second direction and a connector support ridge coupled to the top rim, the frangible connectors including outer ends coupled to the connector support ridge and inner ends coupled to the perimeter side wall of the flip-top cap, the retention fingers being coupled to the top rim of the curved band, and a hinge coupled to the body and to the flip-top cap to support the flip-top cap for movement relative to the body from a closed position covering a product-dispensing spout formed in the top wall and positioning the bottom rim of the curved band in closely confronting relation to the landing included in the body to an opened position away from the body uncovering the product-dispensing spout formed in the top wall, the retention fingers being arranged to extend into the finger-receiving channel formed in the body to limit movement of the flip-top cap relative to the body from the closed position toward the opened position until the tear strip is separated from the body to leave the temporary anchored position in response to fracture of the frangible connectors. 26. A tamper-evident closure comprising a body formed to include a product-dispensing spout and adapted to mount on a container filler neck, the body being formed to include a finger-receiving channel, a lid unit including a flip-top cap, a tear strip extending around a perimeter side wall of the flip-top cap, and frangible connectors coupled to the flip-top cap and to the tear strip in close proximity to a top rim thereof to retain the tear strip in a temporary anchored position on the flip-top cap, and a hinge coupled to the body and to the flip-top cap to support the flip-top cap for movement relative to the body from a closed position on the body covering the product-dispensing spout to an opened position away from the body uncovering the product-dispensing spout, the tear strip including retention means coupled to a bottom rim of the tear strip for extending into the finger-receiving channel formed in the body to limit movement of the flip-top cap relative to the body in the closed position and for leaving the finger-receiving channel upon movement to the opened position whereby the tear strip is separated from the body and leaves the temporary anchored position in response to fracture of the frangible connectors.