Tamper Evident Closure

Abstract

A closure with tamper evident features is disclosed.

1 . A closure for a bottle, comprising:
 a cover and a skirt depending from the cover;   a tamper band, wherein the skirt is disposed between the cover and the tamper band; and   a plurality of segments disposed on the tamper band, wherein each segment includes a pair of oppositely disposed end tabs;   wherein the tamper band has an unattached pre-inverted position in which the segment and tabs extend downwardly and an inverted position in which the segment and tabs extend upwardly;   wherein the tabs are configured to be disposed between a bead of a bottle and at least one of the tamper band and closure skirt;   wherein each segment of the plurality of segments is configured to have a greater radius of curvature than the closure skirt when in the inverted position and an attached position on the bottle.   
     
     
         2 . The closure for a bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of segments includes between about 3 segments and about 8 segments. 
     
     
         3 . The closure for a bottle of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of segments includes between 4 segments and 6 segments. 
     
     
         4 . The closure for a bottle of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of scallops. 
     
     
         5 . The closure for a bottle of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of scallops includes at least one scallop disposed between a first segment and a second segment of the plurality of segments. 
     
     
         6 . A package, comprising:
 a bottle and a closure;   wherein the bottle includes a bead and an external thread;   wherein the closure includes a cover, a tamper band, and a skirt depending from the cover that is disposed between the cover and the tamper band;   the closure skirt having an internal thread configured for threaded engagement with the external thread of the bottle;   the tamper band including at least a first segment, a second segment, and a third segment;   each of the first segment, second segment, and third segment extending from a first end to a second end; and   each segment having a first tab at the first end and extending away from the segment and a second tab at the second end and extending away from the segment;   wherein the tamper band is configured to be movable between a pre-inverted position in which each tab extends away from the closure cover and an inverted position in which each tab extends toward the closure cover;   wherein the closure is movable relative to the bottle between an attached position and an unattached position;   wherein the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment are pulled into a straighter position to have a larger radius of curvature than the bottle bead when in the attached position with the bottle bead pushing each tab radially outwardly to pull each segment into the straighter position under the bottle bead.   
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 6 , further comprising a fourth segment having a first tab at a first end and a second tab at a second end. 
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 7 , further comprising a fifth segment having a first tab at a first end and second tab at a second end. 
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 8 , wherein the first segment, second segment, third segment, fourth segment, and fifth segment are arranged to form a five sided polygonal shape having a perimeter configured to lie within and below an outer perimeter of the bottle bead when in the inverted position and the attached position. 
     
     
         10 . The package of  claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of scallops, with each scallop of the plurality of scallops disposed between a first end of one segment and a second end of an adjacent segment. 
     
     
         11 . A closure for a bottle, comprising:
 a cover, a skirt depending from the cover, and a tamper band, wherein the skirt is disposed between the cover and the tamper band;   a plurality of segments disposed on the tamper band, the plurality of segments including a first segment, a second segment, and a third segment;   wherein each segment includes a pair of oppositely disposed end tabs, including a first end tab and a second end tab;   the tabs extending away from the segment to provide a surface engagable by a bead of the bottle so that the bead may press the tab radially outwardly to straighten each segment;   wherein the tamper band has an unattached pre-inverted position in which the segment and tabs extend downwardly and an inverted position in which the segment and tabs extend upwardly;   wherein the tabs are configured to be disposed between a bead of a bottle and an interior surface of at least one of the tamper band and closure skirt when in the inverted position and an attached position;   wherein each segment of the plurality of segments is configured to have a greater radius of curvature when in the inverted position and the attached position on the bottle than when in the pre-inverted position.   
     
     
         12 . The closure for a bottle of  claim 11 , wherein at least one tab has a width. 
     
     
         13 . The closure for a bottle of  claim 12 , wherein the width is in the range of about 0.04″ to about 0.10″. 
     
     
         14 . The closure for a bottle of  claim 11 , wherein at least one tab has a first radius at an upper corner with a dimension in the range of about 0.002″ to about 0.010″. 
     
     
         15 . The closure for a bottle of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one tab has a second radius at a lower corner with a dimension in the range of about of about 0.002″ to about 0.010″. 
     
     
         16 . The closure of  claim 11 , further comprising a first scallop interposed between the first segment and the second segment. 
     
     
         17 . The closure of  claim 16 , wherein the first scallop has a radius with a dimension in the range of about 0.01″ to about 0.02″. 
     
     
         18 . The closure of  claim 17 , wherein the first scallop has a width with a dimension in the range of about 0.02″ to about 0.04″. 
     
     
         19 . The closure of  claim 16 , further comprising a second scallop interposed between the first second segment and the third segment. 
     
     
         20 . The closure of  claim 11 , having a diameter of about 28 mm and a PCO 1810 finish.