Container Closure System

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a tamper resistant closure system for a container having a body, a mouth or opening and a neck portion. The container is fitted with a cap such as a screw-on or snap-on type to cover and seal the mouth or opening. The cap is configured with a sidewall extending beyond the top sealing portion of the cap thereby defining a peripheral rim for a cavity or an open void created therewith. Fitted over the cap and preferably at least the neck portion of the container is a protective overwrap, such as heat shrinkable thermoplastic band which extends beyond the cap sidewall. The engagement between the band and the cap and container is attained by shrinking the band in tight conformance around the cap and at least the neck portion of the container, with overwrap material extending past the cap sidewall, such extension providing a finger grip tab that may easily be pulled to remove the overwrap when initially opening the container. The extension of the cap sidewall prevents the overwrap material from securely adhering to the top portion of the cap which would make removal or peeling difficult. In this way, the tightly secured protective overwrap provides tamper resistance yet enables easy and convenient means for removal by the intended user.

1 . A closure system for a container having a body, a neck portion and an opening, said closure system comprising
 a) a cap fitted to cover and seal the opening of said container, said cap comprising a cap top and sidewall extending from said cap top to a cap bottom and further having an extension beyond said cap top thereby defining a peripheral rim for an open void created from said sidewall extension and said cap top and   b) an overwrap in tight conformance around the cap and at least the neck portion, of said container, said overwrap extending beyond said peripheral rim.   
   
   
       2 . A closure system according to  claim 1  wherein the sidewall extension has a height of from about 1 mm to about 20 mm. 
   
   
       3 . A closure system according to  claim 1  wherein the overwrap extends at least about 1 mm beyond the peripheral rim of the open void. 
   
   
       4 . A closure system according to  claim 1  wherein the overwrap comprises heat shrinkable thermoplastic material. 
   
   
       5 . A closure system according to  claim 4  wherein the overwrap heat shrinkable thermoplastic material is selected from oriented polystyrene (OPS), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyethylene or polypropylene. 
   
   
       6 . A closure system according to  claim 1  wherein the overwrap is a shrink band having indicia printed thereon. 
   
   
       7 . A closure system according to  claim 1  wherein the overwrap is a shrink band including a weakened portion comprising one or more lines of perforation.