Color-coded closure system with heat attached tamper evidencing band

Abstract

A packaging system for improved management of cap inventory when different beverages, such as different types of milk (skim, 1%, 2% and whole) or water (spring, distilled, fortified, mineral etc.) are bottled in the same bottling lines at various facilities. The system includes maintaining a supply of standard caps, which may be free of colorants or pigments, and a supplies of reels of different colored (or differently printed) shrinkable band material. The different types of beverage are bottled in containers that have a single standard cap and standard uniform bottles, and the different contents of said bottles are differentiated from one another by the application of colored (or distinctively printed) bands. The cap and/or the bottle neck are adapted to be engaged by the band in a way that protects the bottle from being tampered with, and when threaded caps are used, helps prevent the inadvertent loosening of the caps during in shipment. In an alternative embodiment, a band is strapped over the top of the cap and is heat welded or otherwise adhered at both ends to the bottle neck, effectively restricting removal of the bottle cap without detaching at least one end of the band.

1 . A closure arrangement for a container comprising: 
 a bottle cap, a bottle neck, and a tamper evident band;    the bottle neck comprising an opening at an upper end of the neck, an exterior surface having an at least one cap engaging protrusion, and a circumferential transfer ring disposed below the cap engaging protrusion;    the bottle cap comprising a circular cover and a skirt depending from the periphery of the cover; and,    said band containing printing and/or coloring to signify the contents and/or the supply of said container.    
   
   
       2 . The closure arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the neck and bottle cap are dimensioned to receive and engage said band after said band is brought into close-fitting contact with said cap and bottle neck.  
   
   
       3 . The closure arrangement of  claim 1  wherein said neck is part of a blow molded bottle made of HDPE.  
   
   
       4 . The closure arrangement of  claim 2  wherein: 
 the band is a shrinkable circumferential band; and,    said neck has first band engaging formations and said cap has second band engaging formations, said first and second formations cooperating with said band to limit rotational motion of said cap after said band is shrunk into engagement with said cap and neck.    
   
   
       5 . The closure arrangement of  claim 4  wherein said first band engaging formations comprise a series of radially inwardly formed indentations on the outermost periphery of said bumper roll.  
   
   
       6 . The closure arrangement of  claim 4  wherein said first band engaging formations comprise a series of indentations on underside of said bumper roll.  
   
   
       7 . The closure arrangement of  claim 4  wherein said first band engaging formations comprise a series of projections extending outwardly from an outer surface of said bumper roll.  
   
   
       8 . The closure arrangement of  claim 1  wherein said cap is injection molded without the use of any pigment or colorant other than white.  
   
   
       9 . The closure arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the band is strapped across and closely conforms to the circular cover of the bottle cap and the band is attached at two ends to the bottle neck.  
   
   
       10 . The closure arrangement of  claim 9  wherein the band is attached by two or more heat welds.  
   
   
       11 . The closure arrangement of  claim 9  wherein the band is further attached to the circular cover of the bottle cap.  
   
   
       12 . The closure arrangement of  claim 11  wherein the band is attached by three or more heat welds.  
   
   
       13 . The closure arrangement of  claim 9  wherein the band is attached by an adhesive.  
   
   
       14 . The closure arrangement of  claim 9  wherein the band is attached to the top surface of the transfer ring of the bottle neck.  
   
   
       15 . The closure arrangement of  claim 10  wherein the band further closely conforms to the skirt of the bottle cap.  
   
   
       16 . The closure arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the band is a shrinkable circumferential band.  
   
   
       17 . A system for managing closure inventory in a bottling facility in which a plurality of different kinds of beverages are bottled in blow molded containers, said system comprising: 
 a plurality of different band materials, each one of said materials corresponding to a particular kind of beverage;    standard undifferentiated closures and blow molded containers being used on all of said plurality of kinds of beverage bottled at said facility; and,    a supply of inventory of said standard closures being maintained at said facility, whereby bottles with any of said plurality of different kinds of beverage are bottled in said containers with standard undifferentiated closures, and differentiation of beverages bottled at said facility is done by applying particular band material to a container corresponding to a particular beverage in said container, wherein particularized bands are the primary indicia carried by said containers identifying the particular nature of the contents of said containers.    
   
   
       18 . A system in accordance with  claim 17  wherein said plurality of different band materials differ from one another in color.  
   
   
       19 . A system in accordance with  claim 17  wherein said bands are the only indicia differentiating the contents of said containers.  
   
   
       20 . A system in accordance with  claim 17  wherein said containers are made of HDPE.  
   
   
       21 . A system in accordance with  claim 17  wherein: 
 the band is a shrinkable circumferential band; and,    each of said standard closures comprises a bottle cap having a circular cover, a skirt depending from the periphery of the cover, the skirt including an interior surface having radial band engaging undulations for engaging the circumferential band applied to said cap whereby the ability of said cap to inadvertently rotate relative to a container to which said cap is applied is restricted.    
   
   
       22 . A system in accordance with  claim 17  wherein said closures are part of a closure arrangement for a container comprising: 
 a bottle cap, a bottle neck, and a shrinkable circumferential band;    the bottle neck comprising an opening at an upper end of the neck, an exterior surface having a at least one cap engaging protrusion, a circumferential transfer ring disposed below the cap engaging protrusion;    the neck having first radial band engaging undulations;    the bottle cap comprising a circular cover, a skirt depending from the periphery of the cover, the skirt including an interior surface having second radial band engaging undulations,    the first and second undulations being dimensioned to engage said circumferential band and prevent loosening of said cap with respect to said neck after said band is brought into close-fitting contact with said cap and bottle neck; and    said circumferential band containing printing and/or coloring to signify the contents and/or the supply of said container.    
   
   
       23 . A system in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the band is a shrinkable circumferential band.  
   
   
       24 . A system in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein each of the standard closures comprises: 
 a bottle cap having a circular cover and a skirt depending from the periphery of the cover;    a bottle neck having a circumferential transfer ring; and,    the band is strapped across the circular cover and attached at two ends of the band to the transfer ring whereby the ability of said cap to be removed from the bottle is restricted.    
   
   
       25 . A system in accordance with  claim 24  wherein the band contains printing and/or coloring to signify the contents and/or the supply of the container.  
   
   
       26 . A method of bottle cap and band distribution wherein a plurality of bottling facilities served by a distribution center can package different kinds of beverages using standard bottles and standard caps, said method comprising the steps of: 
 keeping a supply of standard bottle cap at a distribution center and at each of a plurality of bottling facilities served by said distribution center;    keeping a supply of a plurality of different band materials, each one of said materials corresponding to a particular kind of beverage, at said bottling facilities at said distribution center and at each of said plurality of bottling facilities;    bottling the desired liquid/beverage at said bottling facilities;    changing a band reel to the desired band material, corresponding to the desired liquid/beverage to be bottled;    providing a band over the bottle cap and neck to sealingly engage the contents of the container/bottle, said band being adapted to receive color or printing;    transporting said bottled beverage to a distribution center;    transporting a re-supply of standard closures to said bottling facilities on the return trips from the distribution center to the bottling facilities.    
   
   
       27 . A closure arrangement for a container comprising: 
 a bottle cap, a bottle neck, and a band;    the bottle neck comprising an opening at an upper end of the neck, an exterior surface of the bottle having a at least one cap engaging protrusion;    the bottle cap comprising a closed end and an open end and a skirt depending from the periphery of the closed end; and    said band containing printing and/or coloring to signify the contents and/or the supply of said container.    
   
   
       28 . The closure arrangement of  claim 27  wherein the bottle cap is dimensioned to receive and engage said band after said band is brought into close-fitting contact with at least a portion of said cap.  
   
   
       29 . The closure arrangement of  claim 27  wherein said neck is part of a blow molded bottle made of a material selected from the group consisting of HDPE, Polycarbonate and PET.  
   
   
       30 . The closure arrangement of  claim 27  wherein said cap has a label, and said band, together with said label, substantially cover exterior portions of said cap.  
   
   
       31 . The closure arrangement of  claim 28  wherein: 
 the band is a shrinkable circumferential band;    said container has a neck, and said neck comprises first band engaging formations and said cap has second band engaging formations, said first and second formations cooperating with said band to limit rotational motion of said cap after said band is shrunk into engagement with said cap and neck.    
   
   
       32 . A closure comprising: 
 a closed end and a skirt extending away from said closed end defining an open end;    a shrinkable circumferential band carried by said closure;    said band being partially shrunk into engagement with a portion of said closure; and,    said band and said skirt defining a gap by which said skirt is at least partially spaced inwardly from said band, whereby said skirt may expand upon installation of said closure onto a bottle without rupturing said band.    
   
   
       33 . A closure in accordance with  claim 32  wherein said closed end is openable when said closure is inserted into a dispenser of liquid contained within a container to which said closure is applied.  
   
   
       34 . A closure in accordance with  claim 32  wherein said closure is adapted for use on a 5-gallon bottle, and said shrinkable band substantially covers the skirt of said closure.  
   
   
       35 . A closure in accordance with  claim 32  wherein said closure has an area of enlarged diameter forming a protrusion on the exterior of said closure, said shrinkable band being only partially shrunk and engaging said protrusion, said band forming a gap between said skirt and said band, whereby completion of shrinking of said band around said closure is adapted to be completed after said closure is applied to a container.  
   
   
       36 . A closure arrangement for a container comprising: 
 a bottle cap, a bottle neck, and a band;    the bottle neck having an opening at an upper end of the neck and an exterior surface having a at least one cap engaging protrusion;    the bottle cap having a circular cover and a skirt depending from the periphery of the cover;    the band being strapped across and closely conforming to the circular cover of the bottle cap; and,    the band being attached at two ends to the bottle neck.    
   
   
       37 . The closure arrangement of  claim 36  wherein: 
 the bottle has a circumferential transfer ring disposed below the cap engaging protrusion; and,    the band is attached to a top surface of the transfer ring.    
   
   
       38 . The closure arrangement of  claim 37  wherein the band is attached by two or more heat welds.  
   
   
       39 . The closure arrangement of  claim 37  wherein the band is attached by an adhesive.  
   
   
       40 . The closure arrangement of  claim 38  wherein the band is adhered to the top surface of the transfer ring using adhesives.  
   
   
       41 . The closure arrangement of  claim 38  wherein the band closely conforms to the circular cover and skirt of the bottle cap.  
   
   
       42 . The closure arrangement of  claim 38  wherein the neck is part of a blow molded bottle made of HDPE.  
   
   
       43 . The closure arrangement of  claim 38  wherein the bottle cap is injection molded without the use of any pigment or colorant.