Method of manufacturing a tamper-evident closure

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a tamper-evident closure, comprising the steps of: forming a body having a base and a lid; and inserting a dispensing member and a tamper-evident member into the body.

1 . A tamper-evident closure comprising a body having a base and a lid connected by a hinge, a dispensing member, and a tamper-evident member, in which the tamper-evident member comprises two parts frangibly connected together, one of the parts engaging in the lid and one of the parts engaging in the base so that upon first opening the parts are pulled apart, in which:
 the dispensing member is formed separately from the body;   the dispensing member includes a flange which projects radially outwards;   the base has a base sidewall and an interior of the base sidewall comprises a retention bead; and   the flange engages over the retention bead to retain the dispensing member in the base.   
     
     
         2 . The tamper-evident closure of  claim 1 , in which the dispensing member includes a bore seal which depends from the flange for sealing against a radially inner surface of an associated container. 
     
     
         3 . The tamper-evident closure of  claim 1 , in which the interior of the base sidewall comprises a shoulder, and in which the flange abuts against the shoulder when engaged over the retention bead to retain the dispensing member in the base. 
     
     
         4 . The tamper-evident closure of  claim 1 , in which the interior of the base sidewall comprises an internal screw thread formation for engaging a corresponding external screw thread formation on a container neck. 
     
     
         5 . The tamper-evident closure of  claim 1 , in which a frangible line formed towards a free end of the base sidewall of the base and defines a tamper-evident band. 
     
     
         6 . A tamper-evident closure comprising:
 a body having a base and a lid connected by a hinge; a dispensing member; and a tamper-evident member, in which the tamper-evident member comprises two parts frangibly connected, one of the parts engaging in the lid and one of the parts engaging in the base so that upon first opening the parts are pulled apart.   
     
     
         7 . The tamper-evident closure as claimed in  claim 6 , in which one of the parts includes a projection which projects inwards and one of the parts includes a projection which projects outwards. 
     
     
         8 . The tamper-evident closure as claimed in  claim 7 , in which the inwardly projecting projection engages the lid and the outwardly projecting projection engages the base. 
     
     
         9 . The tamper-evident closure as claimed in  claim 6 , in which the tamper-evident member is formed separately from the body. 
     
     
         10 . The tamper-evident closure as claimed in  claim 6 , in which the dispensing member is formed separately from the body. 
     
     
         11 . The tamper-evident closure as claimed in  claim 6 , in which the tamper-evident member comprises two rings. 
     
     
         12 . The tamper-evident closure as claimed in  claim 6  and comprising:
 the body having the base and the lid connected by an integral hinge; 
 the tamper-evident member which is a separate element to the body, the tamper-evident member comprising an upper projection which projects radially inwards and a lower flange which projects radially outwards, the upper projection engaging the lid and the lower flange engaging the base; and 
 a dispensing spout. 
 
     
     
         13 . The tamper-evident closure of  claim 12 , wherein the tamper-evident member comprises two rings frangibly connected together. 
     
     
         14 . The tamper-evident closure of  claim 13 , wherein one of the two rings engages in the lid and one of the two rings engages in the base. 
     
     
         15 . The tamper-evident closure of  claim 14 , in which the ring engaging in the lid is retained by the lid upon opening of the lid. 
     
     
         16 . The tamper-evident closure of  claim 15 , in which the ring retained in the lid is clearly visible in the lid. 
     
     
         17 . The tamper-evident closure of  claim 14 , in which a void is provided and the ring engaging in the base moves into the void upon opening of the lid. 
     
     
         18 . The tamper-evident closure of  claim 12 , wherein the upper projection and the lower flange extend completely around a circumference of the spout. 
     
     
         19 . The tamper-evident member of  claim 18 , in which the tamper-evident member fits between the base and the lid and radially outward of the spout. 
     
     
         20 . The tamper-evident closure of  claim 1  in combination with a container.