Step twist zipped visual tamper-evident cap and neck finish

Abstract

A tamper-evident cap is disclosed having a circular closure member, a cylindrical annular wall depending generally from the periphery of the closure member terminating with a base and having a plurality of serrations, and a tamper-evident band circumferentially positioned around the base having teeth and attached to a portion of the base. The tamper-evident band may be mounted to the base by at least one of the teeth or attached by at least one of the serrations extending below the base. The interior and/or exterior of the cylindrical wall may be stepped. The tamper-evident band may have a groove between the teeth for retaining the tamper-evident band on a neck finish. A neck finish having at least one set of teeth and optional raised portions for securing the tamper-evident band in place is also disclosed. The neck finish may be stepped to correspond with a cap having a cylindrical wall with a stepped interior. A cap and neck finish combination for a container is also disclosed.

1 . A tamper-evident cap comprising:
 a circular closure member;   a cylindrical annular wall depending from the closure member and having a first portion and a second portion having a base, wherein the first portion is adjacent to the closure member, an exterior surface having a plurality of serrations, and an interior surface with annular threads positioned to cooperate with threads on a neck finish; and   a tamper-evident band circumferentially positioned around the second portion of the wall and including a plurality of teeth diverted inwardly and adapted to mesh with at least one set of teeth on the neck finish, wherein at least one of the teeth of the tamper-evident band is mounted to a portion of the base.   
     
     
         2 . The cap as in  claim 1 , wherein at least one serration extends below the base, and at least one of the teeth on the tamper-evident band is attached to the cap by the at least one serration extending below the base. 
     
     
         3 . The cap as in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the annular wall threads has a bulbous portion. 
     
     
         4 . The cap as in  claim 1 , wherein the exterior first portion of the cylindrical wall has a smaller diameter than the second portion of the cylindrical wall. 
     
     
         5 . The cap as in  claim 1 , wherein the interior first portion of the cylindrical wall has a smaller diameter than the second portion of the cylindrical wall. 
     
     
         6 . The cap as in  claim 1 , wherein the exterior cylindrical wall is straight. 
     
     
         7 . The cap as in  claim 6 , further comprising a molded-in liner and a groove between the teeth and wherein the interior first portion of the cylindrical wall has a smaller diameter than the second portion of the cylindrical wall. 
     
     
         8 . The cap as in  claim 1 , wherein the annular threads are thinner on the interior first portion and thicker on the interior second portion. 
     
     
         9 . The cap as in  claim 1 , further comprising a sealing plug on the underside of the closure member. 
     
     
         10 . The cap as in  claim 1 , further comprising a liner on the underside of the closure member. 
     
     
         11 . The cap as in  claim 10 , wherein the liner comprises a poured-in-liner or a molded-in liner. 
     
     
         12 . The cap as in  claim 1 , wherein the tamper-evident band has a groove between the teeth. 
     
     
         13 . A tamper-evident cap comprising:
 a circular closure member;   a cylindrical annular wall depending from the closure member and having a first portion and a second portion having a base, wherein the first portion is adjacent to the closure member and has a smaller interior diameter than the second portion, an exterior surface having a plurality of serrations, and an interior surface with annular threads positioned to cooperate with threads on a neck finish; and   a tamper-evident band circumferentially positioned around and attached to the base of the cylindrical wall and including a plurality of teeth diverted inwardly and adapted to mesh with at least one set of teeth on the neck finish.   
     
     
         14 . The cap as in  claim 13 , wherein at least one serration extends below the base, and at least one of the teeth on the tamper-evident band is attached to the cap by the at least one serration extending below the base. 
     
     
         15 . The cap as in  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the annular wall threads has a bulbous portion. 
     
     
         16 . The cap as in  claim 13 , wherein the exterior first portion of the cylindrical wall has a smaller diameter than the second portion of the cylindrical wall. 
     
     
         17 . The cap as in  claim 13 , wherein the exterior cylindrical wall is straight. 
     
     
         18 . The cap as in  claim 17 , further comprising a molded-in liner and a groove between the teeth and wherein at least one of the teeth of the tamper-evident band is mounted to the base. 
     
     
         19 . The cap as in  claim 13 , wherein the annular threads are thinner on the interior first portion and thicker on the interior second portion. 
     
     
         20 . The cap as in  claim 13 , further comprising a sealing plug on the underside of the closure member. 
     
     
         21 . The cap as in  claim 13 , further comprising a liner on the underside of the closure member. 
     
     
         22 . The cap as in  claim 21 , wherein the liner comprises a poured-in-liner or a molded-in liner. 
     
     
         23 . The cap as in  claim 13 , wherein the tamper-evident band has a groove between the teeth. 
     
     
         24 . The cap as in  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the teeth of the tamper-evident band is mounted to the base. 
     
     
         25 . A tamper-evident cap comprising:
 a circular closure member;   a cylindrical annular wall depending from the closure member and having a first portion and a second portion having a base, wherein the first portion is adjacent to the closure member, an exterior surface having a plurality of serrations, and an interior surface with annular threads positioned to cooperate with threads on a neck finish; and   a tamper-evident band circumferentially positioned around and attached to the base of the cylindrical wall and having a plurality of teeth diverted inwardly and adapted to mesh with at least one set of teeth on the neck finish and a groove between the teeth.   
     
     
         26 . The cap as in  claim 25 , wherein at least one serration extends below the base, and at least one of the teeth on the tamper-evident band is attached to the cap by the at least one serration extending below the base. 
     
     
         27 . The cap as in  claim 25 , wherein at least one of the annular wall threads has a bulbous portion. 
     
     
         28 . The cap as in  claim 25 , wherein the exterior first portion of the cylindrical wall has a smaller diameter than the second portion of the cylindrical wall. 
     
     
         29 . The cap as in  claim 25 , wherein the interior first portion of the cylindrical wall has a smaller diameter than the second portion of the cylindrical wall. 
     
     
         30 . The cap as in  claim 25 , wherein the exterior cylindrical wall is straight. 
     
     
         31 . The cap as in  claim 30 , further comprising a molded-in liner and wherein the interior first portion of the cylindrical wall has a smaller diameter than the second portion of the cylindrical wall and at least one of the teeth of the tamper-evident band is mounted to the base. 
     
     
         32 . The cap as in  claim 25 , wherein the annular threads are thinner on the interior first portion and thicker on the interior second portion. 
     
     
         33 . The cap as in  claim 25 , further comprising a sealing plug on the underside of the closure member. 
     
     
         34 . The cap as in  claim 25 , further comprising a liner on the underside of the closure member. 
     
     
         35 . The cap as in  claim 34 , wherein the liner comprises a poured-in-liner or a molded-in liner. 
     
     
         36 . The cap as in  claim 25 , wherein at least one of the teeth of the tamper-evident band is mounted to a portion of the base. 
     
     
         37 . A neck finish for a container comprising:
 a cylindrical wall having a first end portion and second end portion, defining a cylindrical opening therethrough, and having at least one set of teeth positioned around at least a portion of the exterior cylindrical wall at the second end;   at least one raised portion positioned around at least a portion of the exterior cylindrical wall at the second end with the teeth; and   multiple threads angularly positioned on an exterior surface of the cylindrical wall between the first end and the second end.   
     
     
         38 . The neck finish as in  claim 37 , wherein at least one of the neck finish cylindrical wall threads has a bulbous portion. 
     
     
         39 . The neck finish as in  claim 37 , wherein the neck finish cylindrical wall threads have a leading edge that gradually widens into a central wider portion and relatively narrow end. 
     
     
         40 . The neck finish as in  claim 37 , wherein the raised portion is scallop shaped. 
     
     
         41 . The neck finish as in  claim 37 , wherein the raised portion is located adjacent the teeth. 
     
     
         42 . The neck finish as in  claim 37 , wherein the raised portion is pyramid shaped. 
     
     
         43 . The neck finish as in  claim 37 , wherein the raised portion is on top of the at least one set of teeth. 
     
     
         44 . The neck finish as in  claim 37 , wherein the first end portion of the neck finish has a smaller diameter than the second end portion. 
     
     
         45 . A container cap and neck finish combination comprising the cap of  claim 25  and the neck finish of  claim 37 . 
     
     
         46 . The container cap and neck finish combination of  claim 45 , wherein at least one of the teeth and the raised portion of the neck finish has a larger diameter than the teeth of the tamper-evident band of the cap. 
     
     
         47 . The container cap and neck finish combination of  claim 45 , wherein the raised portion of the neck finish fits inside the groove of the tamper-evident band. 
     
     
         48 . The container cap and neck finish combination of  claim 45 , wherein upon breaking of an attachment of the tamper-evident band to the base at least one of an audible sound is produced, the tamper-evident band is retained on the neck finish, and the tamper-evident band is pushed down away from the container cap when reapplying the container cap to the neck finish providing evidence of tampering.