Cap with visible tamper-indicating seal

Abstract

The inventions disclosed herein include a clear cap and tamper-indicating seal combination for containers. The preferred cap is at least partially non-opaque to allow a customer to perceive the tamper-indicating seal through the cap at the point of purchase. In a first embodiment, the tamper-indicating seal serves as a label, wherein the customer can perceive, through the cap, information such as printing which is indicative of the contents of the container. In a second embodiment, the tamper-indicating seal serves as a tamper evident seal, wherein the customer can perceive, through the cap, at the point of purchase, whether the seal has been breached. In a third embodiment, the tamper-indicating seal serves as both a label and a seal, wherein the tamper-indicating seal creates a liquid resistant seal between the cap and the opening of the container. In a forth embodiment, the tamper-indicating seal serves as both a label and a tamper evident seal.

1 . A closure for a container containing a product comprising: 
 a cap and a tamper-indicating seal;    the cap having a generally circular cover and a skirt depending from a periphery of the generally circular cover;    the generally circular cover and the skirt defining an interior space;    the cap having a skirt with at least one inwardly directed protuberance holding the tamper-indicating seal in the interior space;    at least a portion of the generally circular cover allowing the tamper-indicating seal to be viewed through the cover; and    the tamper-indicating seal providing an indication about the product, said indication being visible through the circular cover.    
   
   
       2 . A closure for a container containing a product comprising: 
 a cap and a tamper-indicating seal;    the cap having a generally circular cover and a skirt depending from a periphery of the generally circular cover;    the generally circular cover and the skirt defining an interior space;    the cap having a skirt with at least one inwardly directed protuberance holding the tamper-indicating seal in the interior space;    at least a portion of the generally circular cover allowing the tamper-indicating seal to be viewed through the cover; and    the tamper-indicating seal providing an indication about the product, said indication being visible through the circular cover,    the tamper-indicating seal comprising a foil layer and a bottom layer of plastic rendering the tamper-indicating seal capable of being heat sealed to the container at a upper lip of a neck of the bottle, wherein the tamper-indicating seal is adapted to serve as a seal for the bottle.    
   
   
       3 . A closure for a container containing a product comprising: 
 a cap and a tamper-indicating seal;    the cap having a generally circular cover and a skirt depending from a periphery of the generally circular cover;    the generally circular cover and the skirt defining an interior space;    the cap having a skirt with at least one inwardly directed protuberance holding the tamper-indicating seal in the interior space;    at least a portion of the generally circular cover allowing the tamper-indicating seal to be viewed through the cover; and    the tamper-indicating seal providing an indication about the product, said indication being visible through the circular cover,    the tamper-indicating seal comprising a foam layer shaped to be held between the generally circular cover and a lip of the container upon placement of the closure onto the bottle.    
   
   
       4 . A closure for a container which holds a product comprising: 
 a cap and a tamper-indicating seal;    the cap having a lid and a skirt depending from a periphery of the lid;    the cover and the skirt defining an interior space;    at least a portion of the cover comprised of a material that renders a portion of the tamper-indicating seal visible, when the closure is applied to the container,    the tamper-indicating seal being located at the interior space of the cap wherein the tamper-indicating seal can be perceived by vision through at least a portion of the cover;    the tamper-indicating seal providing information about the product visible through the cover.    
   
   
       5 . A closure for a container which holds a product comprising: 
 a cap and a tamper-indicating seal;    the cap having a lid and a skirt depending from a periphery of the lid;    the cover and the skirt defining an interior space;    at least a portion of the cover comprised of a material that renders a portion of the tamper-indicating seal visible, when the closure is applied to the container,    the tamper-indicating seal being located at the interior space of the cap wherein the tamper-indicating seal can be perceived by vision through at least a portion of the cover;    the tamper-indicating seal being visible through the cover, the tamper-indicating seal comprising a grip for assisting in the removal of the tamper-indicating seal from the container after the cap is removed.    
   
   
       6 . A closure for a container containing a product comprising: 
 a cap and a tamper-indicating seal;    the cap having a cover and a skirt depending from a periphery of the cover;    the cover and the skirt defining an interior space;    the cap having a skirt with at least one inwardly directed protuberance holding the tamper-indicating seal in the interior space;    at least a portion of the cover allowing the tamper-indicating seal to be viewed through the cover; and    the tamper-indicating seal providing an indication about the product, said indication being visible through the cover,    the tamper-indicating seal comprising a foil layer and a bottom layer of plastic rendering the tamper-indicating seal capable of being heat sealed to the container at a upper lip of a neck of the container, wherein the tamper-indicating seal is adapted to serve as a tamper evident seal for the container.    
   
   
       7 . A closure for a container containing a product comprising: 
 a cap and a tamper-indicating seal;    the tamper-indicating seal adapted to be located near an underside of a lid of the cap, and    the lid being comprised of a material such that the tamper-indicating seal can be seen through at least a portion of the lid of the cap.    
   
   
       8 . The closure of  claim 7  wherein the at least a portion of the lid of the cap is translucent.  
   
   
       9 . The closure of  claim 8  wherein the material comprising the cap is substantially colorless.  
   
   
       10 . The closure of  claim 9  wherein the tamper-indicating seal contains information about the type of product contained in said container and/or the source of the product in the container.  
   
   
       11 . The closure of  claim 10  wherein the tamper-indicating seal and the cap are each tamper evident.  
   
   
       12 . The closure of  claim 7  wherein the tamper-indicating seal serves as a tamper evident seal for the container.  
   
   
       13 . The closure of  claim 12  wherein the tamper-indicating seal serves as a label for the product contained in the container.  
   
   
       14 . The closure of  claim 13  wherein the label is held near the underside of the cap by at least a portion of the inside surface of a skirt of the cap.  
   
   
       15 . The closure of  claim 14  wherein the label is held near the underside of the cap by at least one raised portion on the inside surface of the skirt of the cap.  
   
   
       16 . The closure of  claim 7  wherein the cap is threaded, and the tamper-indicating seal is held by at least one thread.  
   
   
       17 . The closure of  claim 7  wherein the closure is an unthreaded, push-on type cap, and the tamper-indicating seal is held by at least one inwardly directed bead on a skirt of the cap.  
   
   
       18 . The closure of  claim 7  wherein the tamper-indicating seal comprises a foil layer rendering the tamper-indicating seal capable of being inductively heat sealed to an upper surface of a neck of the container, and the tamper-indicating seal further comprises a bottom layer of plastic for heat sealing to a lip of the container.  
   
   
       19 . The closure of  claim 7  wherein the tamper-indicating seal comprises a foam layer held between the lid of the closure and an upwardly facing surface of the neck of the container.