Bottle neck overcap

Abstract

Overcap ( 10 ) for a bottle neck ( 50 ) having a centre line ( 15 ) and a mouth ( 55 ) closed by a cork ( 60 ), screw cap, bung or other form of closure to provide a tamper-evidence cover for the closure. The overcap ( 10 ) comprises a cap portion ( 4 ) having a top transverse surface ( 6 ) and an adjacent short cylindrical skirt ( 8 ), a cylindrical jacket portion ( 2 ) adjacent to said skirt ( 8 ) of the cap portion ( 4 ) and a weakening line ( 20 ) between said two portions ( 2, 4 ) of the overcap ( 10 ), wherein apart from the weakening line ( 20 ) the overcap ( 10 ) has a smooth or embossed surface. The weakening line ( 20 ) is a circumferential line of the overcap ( 10 ) having at least a compressed line part and a slit ( 30, 35 ), the weakening line ( 20 ) surrounds the bottle neck ( 50 ) and runs at least partly perpendicular to the centre line ( 15 ), wherein the slit ( 30, 35 ) has a length and a width that allows the introduction of a knife blade ( 63 ) or a fingernail ( 65 ).

1 . A tamper-evidence cover comprising:
 a bottle neck comprising a centre line, a mouth and a closure; and   an overcap comprising a cap portion, a cylindrical jacket portion and a   weakening line:   wherein the overcap is a cup-shaped film, wherein the cap portion comprises a top part that is arranged transversely to the centre line and an adjacent short cylindrical skirt, wherein the cylindrical jacket portion is adjacent to the short cylindrical skirt, wherein the weakening line is positioned between the cap portion and the cylindrical jacket portion, wherein the overcap comprises a smooth or embossed surface apart from the weakening line, wherein the weakening line is a circumferential line of the overcap comprising at least a compressed line part and a slit, wherein the weakening line surrounds the bottle neck and runs at least partly perpendicular to the centre line, and wherein the slit has a length and a width that allows the introduction of a knife blade or a fingernail.   
     
     
         2 . The tamper-evidence cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the slit is part of the weakening line running perpendicular to the centre line and has the form of a ring segment that is arranged perpendicular to the centre line of the bottle neck. 
     
     
         3 . The tamper-evidence cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the slit has a length of between 2 to 30 mm and a width of between 0.2 to 4 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The tamper-evidence cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the slit has a V-shaped form of two straight-line sections including an acute angle, wherein said slit is arranged to form an equilateral triangle of the skirt of the cap portion as a grasping tab protruding from a weakening line part running perpendicularly to the centre line in a direction parallel to the centre line and having a free end directed to the bottom of the overcap, wherein there is a smooth junction between the weakening line part lying perpendicular to the centre line and the straight-line sections of the slit, and the two straight-line sections of the slit have a round transition area between. 
     
     
         5 . The tamper-evidence cover according to  claim 4 , wherein the slit has a width of between 0.2 and 4 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The tamper-evidence cover according to  claim 4 , wherein the width W V  of the V-shaped slit measured in a plan view at the transition area between the slit and the circumferential weakening line part arranged perpendicularly to the centre line measures between 10 mm and the dimension of the diameter of the cap portion. 
     
     
         7 . The tamper-evidence cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the weakening line part running perpendicularly to the centre line comprises a predefined number of longitudinal incisions and/or a perforated line part. 
     
     
         8 . The tamper-evidence cover according to  claim 7 , wherein the weakening line part running perpendicularly to the centre line comprises between one and six incisions or cuts. 
     
     
         9 . The tamper-evidence cover according to one  claim 1 , wherein the cap portion is peelable from the cylindrical jacket portion along the weakening line having a peeling strength between 1 to 10 N. 
     
     
         10 . The tamper-evidence cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the overcap is made of a film consisting of aluminium or tin, or is made of a polymer coated metallic film made of aluminium or tin. 
     
     
         11 . The tamper-evidence cover according to  claim 1 , wherein apart from the weakening line, the overcap has a film thickness of between 10 μm and 100 μm. 
     
     
         12 . The tamper-evidence cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the film thickness of the cap portion is 30% or more thicker than that of the cylindrical jacket portion. 
     
     
         13 . The tamper-evidence cover according to  claim 12 , wherein the film thickness of the cap portion is between 100 μm and 300 μm. 
     
     
         14 . The tamper-evidence cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the overcap is a cylindrical or conical cup-shaped capsule crimped onto the bottle neck in that the contour of the overcap corresponds to the outer contour of the bottle neck with the closure.