Tamper-evident closure and tamper-evident closure and container assembly

Abstract

A tamper-evident closure for the attachment to a container body includes a cap portion which includes a top wall and a peripheral wall extending downwardly from the top wall, an attachment portion, a tamper-proof element arranged and integrally formed between the cap portion and the attachment portion, and a hinge portion including at least one wall section which is integrally formed with the peripheral wall and the attachment portion and connects the cap portion and the attachment portion. The at least one wall section of the hinge portion is formed between at least two cut outs, does not extend beyond an envelope defined by an outer surface of the peripheral wall and an outer surface of the attachment portion and has a substantially constant wall thickness which is essentially the same as the wall thickness of the peripheral wall.

1 . A tamper-evident closure for the attachment to a container body, comprising:
 a cap portion comprising a top wall and a peripheral wall extending downwardly from the top wall);   an attachment portion;   a tamper-proof element arranged and integrally formed between the cap portion and the attachment portion; and   a hinge portion comprising at least one wall section which is integrally formed with the peripheral wall and the attachment portion and connects the cap portion and the attachment portion; wherein   the at least one wall section of the hinge portion is formed between at least two cut outs;   the at least one wall section of the hinge portion does not extend beyond an envelope defined by an outer surface of the peripheral wall and an outer surface of the attachment portion; and   the at least one wall section of the hinge portion has a constant wall thickness and in a horizontal plane section follows an outer curvature of the peripheral wall of the cap portion.   
     
     
         2 . The tamper-evident closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the attachment portion is shaped to be attached to a tubular wall of the container body. 
     
     
         3 . The tamper-evident closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two cut outs comprise a U-shaped cut out delimiting a blocking portion extending downwards from the cap portion, said blocking portion being dimensioned to hold the cap portion in an opened position by interacting with at least one sidewall of the container body. 
     
     
         4 . The tamper-evident closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the tamper-proof element comprises a plurality of frangible bridges between the peripheral wall of the cap portion and the attachment portion. 
     
     
         5 . The tamper-evident closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the tamper-proof element comprises a tearable band between the cap portion and the attachment portion, or between the peripheral wall and the attachment portion. 
     
     
         6 . The tamper-evident closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the hinge portion consists of a single wall section which is formed between two vertical cut outs. 
     
     
         7 . The tamper-evident closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the hinge portion consists of two wall sections formed between vertical cut outs. 
     
     
         8 . The tamper-evident closure according to  claim 7 , wherein a cut out between the two wall sections comprises an opening in the hinge portion, the width of the opening in a horizontal direction having preferably at least twice the width of the two wall sections. 
     
     
         9 . Tamper evident The tamper-evident closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the cap portion comprises an element for generating or maintaining a controlled atmosphere. 
     
     
         10 . The tamper-evident closure according to  claim 1 , being integrally moulded from plastic material. 
     
     
         11 . The tamper-evident closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the cap portion further comprises a sealing skirt which provides air-tightness when the cap portion is in a closed position. 
     
     
         12 . The tamper-evident closure according to  claim 1 , characterized in that
 the peripheral wall comprises an outer wall which is arranged outside of a sealing skirt of the cap portion forming a gap of predetermined width between the sealing skirt and the outer wall.   
     
     
         13 . A tamper-evident closure and container assembly for receiving loosely stored products, comprising:
 a container comprising
 a bottom element; and 
 at least one sidewall integrally formed with the bottom element at a lower end of the at least one sidewall and extending perpendicularly from the bottom element, and forming an opening opposed to the bottom element; wherein 
 the at least one sidewall having an upper end to which the tamper-evident closure according to  claim 1  is attached and closes the opening of the container in an air-tight manner. 
   
     
     
         14 . The tamper-evident closure and container assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the container further comprises a tubular sidewall. 
     
     
         15 . The tamper-evident closure and container assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the cap portion comprises a sealing skirt being suitable to provide air-tightness when the cap portion is in a closed position, and wherein the sealing skirt cooperates with an inner surface of the sidewall of the container. 
     
     
         16 . The tamper-evident closure according to  claim 9 , wherein the element for generating or maintaining a controlled atmosphere comprises an adsorbent. 
     
     
         17 . The tamper-evident closure according to  claim 10 , wherein the plastic material comprises polyolefin based polymers. 
     
     
         18 . The tamper-evident closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the cap portion forms a flip-top closure. 
     
     
         19 . The tamper-evident closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the attachment portion is aligned with the peripheral wall. 
     
     
         20 . The tamper-evident closure according to  claim 1 , wherein the constant wall thickness of the at least one wall section of the hinge portion is the same as the wall thickness of the peripheral wall.