The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 01, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 28, 2000
James L. Gregory, Toledo, OH (US);
Stephanie L. Kurtz, Stony Ridge, OH (US);
Owens-Illinois Closure Inc., Toledo, OH (US);
Abstract
A tamper-indicating closure of integrally molded plastic construction that includes a base wall having a peripheral skirt with internal threads for engaging external threads on the finish of a container. A tamper-indicating band is connected to the lower or free edge of the skirt by a plurality of circumferentially spaced integral bridges. At least one of the bridges has a greater circumferential dimension than other of the bridges. A thin integral membrane is disposed in the band immediately circumferentially adjacent to the one bridge, and extends both axially and circumferentially of the band. A stop flange is positioned on the band for engaging a bead on a container to inhibit removal of the closure, such that the membrane and the other bridges rupture upon removal of the closure but the band remains connected to the closure by the one bridge of enlarged circumferential dimension. Provision of the thin membrane during the closure molding operation thus provides for rupture of the free end of the band to form a pigtail band configuration upon removal from the container without axial scoring or other secondary manufacturing operations that would require controlled orientation of the closure.