Tamper evident cap for an aerosol can

Abstract

Described herein is a tamper evident cap for an aerosol can. The tamper evident cap includes a sidewall and a top surface, the sidewall and the top surface define an inner cavity. The tamper evident cap includes a pair of opposing pads movably positioned relative to the sidewall and configured to release the tamper evident cap from the aerosol can. The tamper evident cap includes a pair of tabs positioned relative to the sidewall and outward relative to the pair of opposing pads, where each tab of the pair of tabs is positioned to restrict engagement with a corresponding pad of the pair of opposing pads, where each tab of the pair of tabs is at least partially removable from the sidewall.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tamper evident cap configured to engage with an aerosol can, the tamper evident cap comprising:
 a sidewall and a top surface, the sidewall and the top surface define an inner cavity;   a pair of opposing pads movably positioned relative to the sidewall and configured to release the tamper evident cap from the aerosol can; and   a pair of tabs positioned relative to the sidewall and outward relative to the pair of opposing pads, wherein each tab of the pair of tabs is positioned to restrict engagement with a corresponding pad of the pair of opposing pads, wherein each tab of the pair of tabs is at least partially removable from the sidewall.   
     
     
         2 . The tamper evident cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the pair of tabs are removable from the sidewall without the use of a tool. 
     
     
         3 . The tamper evident cap according to  claim 1 , wherein each tab and the corresponding pad define a gap therebetween, wherein the gap is sized to fit at least a portion of a user's finger. 
     
     
         4 . The tamper evident cap according to  claim 1 , wherein each tab of the pair of tabs further defines a frangible section positioned between each tab and the sidewall, wherein each tab is removable from the sidewall along the frangible section. 
     
     
         5 . The tamper evident cap according to  claim 4 , wherein each tab and the corresponding pad define a gap that opens relative to a first edge of each of the tab and the corresponding pad, wherein the frangible section of each tab is positioned relative to a second edge of the tab. 
     
     
         6 . The tamper evident cap according to  claim 1  further comprising a ring mechanism positioned relative to the inner cavity and between the pair of opposing pads, wherein the ring mechanism is configured to removably engage with the aerosol can,
 the ring mechanism defines at least one retention element configured to removably engage with the aerosol can, wherein the opposing pads are coupled to the at least one retention element, either directly or indirectly, and configured to release the at least one retention element from the aerosol can. 
 
     
     
         7 . The tamper evident cap according to  claim 1 , wherein each tab defines a quadrilateral shape, wherein three of the four edges defines a frangible section between each tab and the sidewall, wherein each tab is removable from the sidewall along the frangible sections. 
     
     
         8 . An aerosol can assembly, comprising:
 an aerosol can comprising a body and a spray nozzle, the body defining a collar positioned relative to the spray nozzle; and   a tamper evident cap configured to removably engage with the aerosol can, the tamper evident cap comprising:
 a sidewall and a top surface, the sidewall and the top surface define an inner cavity; 
 a pair of opposing pads movably positioned relative to the sidewall and coupled to a ring mechanism, the ring mechanism positioned relative to the inner cavity and between the pair of opposing pads, wherein the ring mechanism is configured to removably engage with at least the collar of the aerosol can; and 
 a pair of tabs positioned relative to the sidewall and outward relative to the pair of opposing pads, wherein each tab of the pair of tabs is positioned to restrict engagement with a corresponding pad of the pair of opposing pads, wherein each tab of the pair of tabs is at least partially removable from the sidewall. 
   
     
     
         9 . The aerosol can assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the pair of tabs of the tamper evident cap are removable from the sidewall without the use of a tool. 
     
     
         10 . The aerosol can assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein each tab and the corresponding pad of the tamper evident cap define a gap therebetween, wherein the gap is sized to fit at least a portion of a user's finger. 
     
     
         11 . The aerosol can assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein each tab of the pair of tabs of the tamper evident cap further defines a frangible section positioned between each tab and the sidewall, wherein each tab is removable from the tamper evident cap along the frangible section. 
     
     
         12 . The aerosol can assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein each tab and the corresponding pad of the tamper evident cap define a gap that opens relative to a first edge of each of the tab and the corresponding pad, wherein the frangible section of each tab is positioned relative to a second edge of the tab. 
     
     
         13 . The aerosol can assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the ring mechanism of the tamper evident cap defines at least one retention element configured to removably engage with the collar of the aerosol can, wherein the opposing pads are coupled to the at least one retention element, either directly or indirectly, and configured to release the at least one retention element from the collar of the aerosol can. 
     
     
         14 . The aerosol can assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the tamper evident cap defines a first opening in at least the sidewall and a second opposing opening in at least the sidewall, the first and second openings each provide access to a corresponding pad of the pair of pads, and
 each tab of the pair of tabs is removably attached relative one of the first and second openings so as to restrict access to the corresponding pad of the pair of pads, and a plurality of frangible sections are positioned between each tab and the sidewall, such that each tab of the pair of tabs is removable from the tamper evident cap along the plurality of frangible sections.   
     
     
         15 . A method of unpackaging an aerosol can assembly, wherein the aerosol can assembly comprises an aerosol can and a tamper evident cap configured to removably engage with the aerosol can; the aerosol can comprising a body and a spray nozzle; and the tamper evident cap comprising a sidewall and a top surface, the sidewall and the top surface define an inner cavity, a pair of opposing pads movably positioned relative to the sidewall and configured to release the tamper evident cap from the aerosol can, a pair of tabs positioned relative to the sidewall and outward relative to the pair of opposing pads, wherein each tab of the pair of tabs is positioned to restrict engagement with a corresponding pad of the pair of opposing pads, each tab and the corresponding pad define a gap that opens relative to a first edge of each of the tab and the corresponding pad, wherein each tab of the pair of tabs defines a frangible section positioned relative to a second edge of the tab and positioned between each tab and the sidewall, and wherein each tab is at least partially removable from the sidewall; the method comprising:
 introducing at least a portion of a finger into the gap between each tab of the pair of tabs and the corresponding pad of the pair of pads;   prying each tab in a direction away from the sidewall of the tamper evident cap so as to begin tearing along the frangible section of each tab;   removing each tab from the tamper evident cap to expose the corresponding pad of the pair of pads; and   pressing the pair of pads to release the tamper evident cap from the aerosol can.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein each tab of the pair of tabs comprises a plurality of frangible sections positioned between each tab and the sidewall, such that each tab of the pair of tabs is removable from the tamper evident cap along the plurality of frangible sections. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the pair of tabs of the tamper evident cap are removable from the sidewall without the use of a tool. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein each tab of the pair of tabs is not reattachable to the tamper evident cap once removed. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the tamper evident cap is configured to reengage with the aerosol can to cover at least the spray nozzle. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein each tab defines a quadrilateral shape, wherein three of the four edges defines the frangible section between each tab and the sidewall, wherein each tab is removable from the sidewall along the frangible sections.