Cap for a container

Abstract

A cap for a container including: a body, configured to be coupled and uncoupled relative to the neck of the container and including a side wall and a transverse wall; a tamper evident ring, configured to engage a locking member on the neck of the container; a joining zone, where the tamper evident ring is joined to the body, wherein the joining zone includes a tether, connected to the tamper evident ring in a first connecting zone, and to the body in a second connecting zone, a first narrow thickness zone configured to connect a first flank of the tether to the tamper evident ring, and a second narrow thickness zone to connect a second flank of the tether to the side wall of the body, wherein the first narrow thickness zone and the second narrow thickness zone are configured to be torn in response to a displacement of the body away from the tamper evident ring.

1 . A cap for a container, comprising:
 a body configured to be coupled and uncoupled relative to the neck of the container and including
 a side wall, internally threaded and extending around a longitudinal axis between a first and a second end, and 
 a transverse wall joined to the first end of the side wall; 
   a tamper evident ring, configured to engage a locking member on the neck of the container, so that the tamper evident ring remains attached to the neck of the container even when the cap body is uncoupled from the neck;   a joining zone, where the tamper evident ring is joined to the cap body, the joining zone being configured to be torn at least partly along a perimeter surrounding the longitudinal axis in response to a displacement of the body away from the tamper evident ring, wherein the joining zone includes   a tether, including
 a first end, connected to the tamper evident ring in a first connecting zone forming part of the tamper evident ring, 
 a second end, connected to the body in a second connecting zone forming part of the side wall of the body, 
 a first flank and a second flank opposite to the first flank, 
   a first narrow thickness zone that is thinner than the tether, the tamper evident ring and the side wall of the body, the first narrow thickness zone extending around the longitudinal axis (X),
 along the first flank of the tether, to connect the first flank of the tether to the tamper evident ring, 
 along the second connecting zone and 
 beyond the second connecting zone and the second end of the tether, to form a separating stretch that connects the tamper evident ring to the side wall of the body, the separating stretch having, in at least one portion of it, an extension less than 3 mm parallel to the longitudinal axis, 
   
       and being interrupted in the first connecting zone,
 a second narrow thickness zone, extending angularly around the longitudinal axis along a stretch running from the second end of the tether to the first connecting zone, so that the second narrow thickness zone connects the second flank of the tether and the first connecting zone to the side wall of the body,
 wherein the first narrow thickness zone and second narrow thickness zone are configured to be torn in response to the displacement of the body away from the tamper evident ring. 
 
 
     
     
         2 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the joining zone comprises an additional tether, including:
 a first end, connected to the tamper evident ring in the first connecting zone;   a second end, connected to the body in the second connecting zone;   a first flank and a second flank opposite to the first flank,
 wherein the first narrow thickness zone extends also along the first flank of the additional tether, to connect the first flank of the additional tether to the tamper evident ring, and beyond the second end of the additional tether, and wherein the second narrow thickness zone extends angularly around the longitudinal axis along an additional stretch running from the second end of the additional tether to the first connecting zone, so that the second narrow thickness zone also connects the second flank of the additional tether to the side wall of the body, and 
 wherein the first end of the tether and the first end of the additional tether are disposed angularly one after the other consecutively and are interposed between the second end of the tether and the second end of the additional tether. 
   
     
     
         3 . The cap according to  claim 2 , wherein the second connecting zone includes a connecting element and an additional connecting element which are distinct and angularly spaced from each other, wherein the second ends of the tether and additional tether are connected to the connecting element and to the additional connecting element of the second connecting zone, respectively. 
     
     
         4 . The cap according to  claim 3 , wherein the first connecting zone includes, alternatively,
 a connecting element and an additional connecting element which are distinct and angularly spaced from each other, wherein the first ends of the tether and additional tether are connected to the connecting element and to the additional connecting element of the first connecting zone, respectively;   a single connecting element, wherein the first ends of the tether and additional tether are both connected to the single connecting element.   
     
     
         5 . The cap according to  claim 2 , wherein the angular distance between the first end of the tether and the first end of the additional tether is less than the angular distance between the second end of the tether and the second end of the additional tether. 
     
     
         6 . The cap according to  claim 2 , wherein the first narrow thickness zone has a first thickness and the second narrow thickness zone has, at least in a main portion of it, adjacent to the second flank of the tether and of the additional tether, a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness. 
     
     
         7 . The cap according to  claim 6 , wherein the second narrow thickness zone has, in a secondary portion of it, at the first connecting zone, a thickness that is less than or equal to the first thickness. 
     
     
         8 . The cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the tether, between its first end and its second end, extends along a path running angularly in a single direction around the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         9 . The cap according to  claim 1 , comprising
 a first operating configuration, in which the tamper evident ring is engaged with the locking member on the neck of the container, the cap body is coupled to the neck of the container and the joining zone is intact;   a second operating configuration, in response to a first displacement of the body away from the tamper evident ring, wherein the first narrow thickness zone is torn, the second narrow thickness zone is intact, the tamper evident ring is engaged with the locking member on the neck of the container, and the body is uncoupled from the neck of the container;   a third operating configuration, in response to a second displacement of the body away from the tamper evident ring, additional to the first displacement, wherein both the first narrow thickness zone and the second narrow thickness zone are torn and the tamper evident ring is joined to the body by the tether.   
     
     
         10 . A method for making a cap for a container, comprising a step of forming in a mould that defines a forming cavity having the shape of the cap to be made, wherein the step of forming makes the following features:
 a body, configured to be coupled and uncoupled relative to the neck of the container and including
 a side wall, internally threaded and extending around a longitudinal axis between a first and a second end, and 
 a transverse wall joined to the first end of the side wall; 
   a tamper evident ring, configured to engage a locking member on the neck of the container, so that the tamper evident ring remains attached to the neck of the container even when the cap body is uncoupled from the neck;   a joining zone, where the tamper evident ring is joined to the cap body, the joining zone being configured to be torn at least partly along a perimeter surrounding the longitudinal axis in response to a displacement of the body away from the tamper evident ring,   
       wherein the step of forming makes the following features in the joining zone:
 a tether, including
 a first end, connected to the tamper evident ring in a first connecting zone forming part of the tamper evident ring, 
 a second end, connected to the body in a second connecting zone forming part of the side wall of the body, 
 a first flank and a second flank opposite to the first flank, 
 
 a first narrow thickness zone that is thinner than the tether, the tamper evident ring and the side wall of the body, the first narrow thickness zone extending around the longitudinal axis,
 along the first flank of the tether, to connect the first flank of the tether to the tamper evident ring, 
 along the second connecting zone and 
 beyond the second connecting zone and the second end of the tether, to form a separating stretch that connects the tamper evident ring to the side wall of the body, the separating stretch having, in at least one portion of it, an extension less than 3 mm parallel to the longitudinal axis, 
 
 
       and being interrupted in the first connecting zone,
 a second narrow thickness zone, extending angularly around the longitudinal axis along a stretch running from the second end of the tether to the first connecting zone, so that the second narrow thickness zone connects the second flank of the tether and the first connecting zone to the side wall of the body,
 wherein the first narrow thickness zone and second narrow thickness zone are configured to be torn in response to the displacement of the body away from the tamper evident ring. 
 
 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the step of forming makes, in the joining zone an additional tether, including:
 a first end, connected to the tamper evident ring in the first connecting zone;   a second end, connected to the body in the second connecting zone;   a first flank and a second flank opposite to the first flank,
 wherein the first narrow thickness zone extends also along the first flank of the additional tether, to connect the first flank of the additional tether to the tamper evident ring, and beyond the second end of the additional tether, and wherein the second narrow thickness zone extends angularly around the longitudinal axis along an additional stretch running from the second end of the additional tether to the first connecting zone, so that the second narrow thickness zone also connects the second flank of the additional tether to the side wall of the body, and 
 wherein the first end of the tether and the first end of the additional tether are disposed angularly one after the other consecutively and are interposed between the second end of the tether and the second end of the additional tether. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , comprising a step of displacing an upper unit and a lower unit of the mould towards each other along the longitudinal axis to define the forming cavity, wherein
 the upper unit comprises an extractor, including a first jutting element that juts towards the longitudinal axis to form the first narrow thickness zone of the cap,   the lower unit comprises a second jutting element that juts towards the longitudinal axis to form the second narrow thickness zone of the cap,   
       and wherein, when the mould is in the closed configuration, the extractor and the lower unit act in conjunction to delimit a recess that extends radially away from the longitudinal axis to form the tether of the cap. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the upper unit comprises a central core, the central core and the extractor being movable relative to each other parallel to the longitudinal axis, between
 a retaining configuration, wherein the extractor is at a lowered position to hold a cap at the tether, and   a releasing configuration, wherein the extractor is at a retracted position, and the central core bends a retaining portion of a tamper evident ring of the cap towards the longitudinal axis to release the cap from the extractor.   
     
     
         14 . A mould for making a cap for a container, movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration in which it defines a forming cavity having the shape of the cap to be made, and including:
 a side hollow that includes
 a body portion that is internally threaded and extends around a longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end, 
 a tamper evidence portion that extends around the longitudinal axis, 
 a joining zone that extends around the longitudinal axis and is connected to the second end of the body portion, so that the joining zone is interposed between the body portion and the tamper evidence portion; 
   a transverse hollow, connected to the first end of the body portion of the side hollow,   
       wherein the joining portion includes
 a tether portion, elongated between a first end and a second end, the first end being in communication with the tamper evidence portion through a first connecting portion forming part of the tamper evidence portion, and the second end being in communication with the body portion through a second connecting portion forming part of the body portion, 
 a first narrow thickness portion that is thinner than the tether portion, the tamper evidence portion and the body portion, the first narrow thickness portion extending around the longitudinal axis,
 along a first flank of the tether portion, to connect the first flank of the tether portion to the tamper evidence portion, 
 along the second connecting portion and 
 beyond the second connecting portion and the second end of the tether portion, to form a separating stretch that connects the tamper evidence portion to the body portion of the side hollow, the separating stretch having, in at least one portion of it, an extension less than 3 mm parallel to the longitudinal axis, 
 
 
       and being interrupted in the first connecting portion,
 a second narrow thickness portion, extending angularly around the longitudinal axis along a stretch running from the second end of the tether portion to the first connecting portion, so that the second narrow thickness portion connects a second flank of the tether portion and the first connecting portion to the body portion of the side hollow. 
 
     
     
         15 . The mould according to  claim 14 , wherein the joining portion comprises an additional a tether portion, elongated between a first end and a second end, the first end being in communication with the tamper evidence portion through the first connecting portion and the second end being in communication with the body portion through the second connecting portion,
 wherein the first narrow thickness portion extends also along a first flank of the additional tether portion, to connect the first flank of the additional tether portion to the tamper evidence portion, and beyond the second end of the additional tether portion, and wherein the second narrow thickness portion extends angularly around the longitudinal axis along an additional stretch running from the second end of the additional tether portion to the first connecting portion, so that the second narrow thickness portion also connects a second flank of the additional tether portion to the body portion of the side hollow, and   wherein the first end of the tether portion and the first end of the additional tether portion are disposed angularly one after the other consecutively and are interposed between the second end of the tether portion and the second end of the additional tether portion.   
     
     
         16 . The mould according to  claim 14 , comprises an upper unit and a lower unit, movable relative to each other along the longitudinal axis between a spaced-apart position, to define the open configuration of the mould, and a close-together position, to define the closed configuration of the mould, wherein
 the upper unit comprises an extractor, including a first jutting element that juts towards the longitudinal axis, configured to delimit the first narrow thickness portion of the forming cavity,   the lower unit comprises a second jutting element that juts towards the longitudinal axis, configured to delimit the second narrow thickness portion of the forming cavity, and wherein, when the mould is in the closed configuration, the extractor and the lower unit act in conjunction to delimit a recess that extends radially away from the longitudinal axis to delimit the tether portion of the forming cavity.   
     
     
         17 . The mould according to  claim 16 , wherein the upper unit comprises a central core, the central core and the extractor being movable relative to each other parallel to the longitudinal axis, between
 a retaining configuration, wherein the extractor is at a lowered position and is configured to hold a cap at the tether, and   a releasing configuration, wherein the extractor is at a retracted position, and the central core is configured to bend a retaining portion of a tamper evident ring of the cap towards the longitudinal axis to release the cap from the extractor.   
     
     
         18 . The cap according to  claim 2 , wherein the tether presents a longitudinal extending portion, the longitudinal extending portion extending between the first flank and the second flank of the tether and having a variable height relative to the longitudinal direction, wherein the height decreases between the second end and a point located between the first end and the second end and is constant between the point located between the first end and the second end and the first end of the tether. 
     
     
         19 . The cap according to  claim 2 , wherein the joining zone comprises an intermediate section, wherein the intermediate section:
 is located between a portion of the second flank and the second narrow thickness zone proximal to the second flank;   extends around the longitudinal axis between the second end and a point located between the first end and the second end;   connects the portion of the second flank to the second narrow thickness zone, and   has a longitudinal extending portion presenting a maximum height at the second end of the tether and a minimum height at a point located between the first and the second end of the tether.   
     
     
         20 . The cep according to  claim 19 , wherein the intermediate section presents a thickness defined in the radial direction having a value comprised between the thickness of the tether and the thickness of the second narrow thickness zone.