Device for preventing unauthorised tampering of container caps

Abstract

 A device to prevent unauthorised tampering of container caps, comprising a protective hood (1) including coupling means (2) for coupling it to the neck of the container, provided with an adjustment mechanism (3) for adjusting it on the neck and a tamper-proof locking mechanism (4) of the adjustment mechanism.

Description

[0001] The present invention refers to a device for preventing unauthorised tampering of container caps, especially designed to prevent the opening of caps on bottle, vials and the like by people who are not authorised to do so.

[0002] Closing devices for bottles, vials and the like are known which have means to guarantee against tampering. However, these devices are only apt for indicating whether the container has been opened or not, but in no case do they prevent opening of the container.

[0003] Caps are also known which are somewhat difficult to open and which are especially designed to prevent their opening by children. This type of caps is applicable to containers for medicines, detergent products, etc.

[0004] However, none of the closing caps for bottles and containers in general have means that allow opening only by an authorised person or people, thus preventing the opening of the container by unauthorised people.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to resolve the problem set forth, by means of a device that may be coupled to the cap of a bottle or vial and generally over any container that has a neck ending in a ridge or outer widening adjacent to the mouth.

[0006] The device of the invention is formed by a protective hood for the cap, having coupling means for coupling it to the neck of the container and for fixing it thereto, so that it may only be separated or removed by authorised people. This hood forms a cover covering the cap, preventing the same from being tampered with without previously removing the device.

[0007] The coupling means of the device or neck of the container include an adjustment mechanism for adjusting it on the neck of the container, under the ridge or the end widening thereof, and a tamper-proof locking mechanism for the adjustment means.

[0008] The hood forming the device of the invention is defined by a wall that forms a cover which covers the cap and axially projects from the free edge in a series of strips, on the end portions of which the coupling means for coupling it to the neck of the container are assembled. To this end, these strips are finished off at their end portion in a passage located at the same height in all the strips, in which the coupling means consisting of a clamp adjustable to the neck of the container and which includes a worm screw as an adjustment mechanism which meshes with a threaded end portion of said clamp.

[0009] Regarding the locking mechanism of the device of the invention, it consists in a combination lock which, in its locking position, acts on a non-return mechanism of the adjustment mechanism, preventing the actuation thereof in the clamp releasing or opening direction.

[0010] With the described constitution, the device of the invention serves as a protective element of the cap, preventing the tampering thereof by any unauthorised person who does not have the means to release the locking mechanism, for example, a person who does not know the lock combination, if such mechanism consists in a combination lock.

[0011] The device of the invention will thus prevent extracting or modifying the content of the bottle or container. The device of the invention may be used as a security means to prevent children from accessing the contents of certain containers, to prevent extracting part of the contents of the container, for example, of drinks, etc.

[0012] The constitution and features of the device of the invention may be better understood with the following description, made with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which a non-limiting embodiment is shown:

Figure 1 shows a side elevational view of a device formed according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a front elevational view of the device of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows an upper plan view of the same device.

Figure 4 shows a diametric sectional view of the device, following section line IV-IV of Figure 2.

Figure 5 shows a cross sectional view of the device, following section line V-V of Figure 2.

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the coupling means of the adjustment mechanism and the locking mechanism of the device shown in section in Figure 5.

[0013] As can be seen in Figures 1 to 4, the device of the invention is formed by a protective hood 1 for a bottle or container cap having coupling means for coupling it to the neck of said container formed by a clamp 2. This clamp or coupling means 2 has an adjustment mechanism 3 for adjusting on the neck of the container and a tamper-proof locking mechanism 4 of the adjustment means 3.

[0014] The hood 1 forms a cover which will cover the cap 5 which closes the opening of a bottle or container 6. The wall of this cover or hood extends from the free edge in a series of strips 7 which are finished off at their end portions in a passage 8 which is located at the same height in all the strips 7 and through which the clamp 2 is passed.

[0015] As can be best seen in Figures 5 and 6, the clamp 2, in itself of known constitution, has an outer end portion 9 provided with teeth 10, with which it meshes with a worm screw 11, operated by the outer control 12. By turning the control 12 in one direction or another, and thus the worm screw 11, the diameter of the clamp 2 is reduced or increased and thus is adjusted on or release from the neck 13, Figure 4, of a container 6. The clamp 2 may internally have lining strips 14 of a deformable material which serve as adjustment elements on the neck 13 of the bottle and to attenuate the pressure exerted by the closing of the clamp 2 by acting on the control 12.

[0016] Regarding the locking mechanism 4 of the adjustment mechanism described, it may consist in a combination lock, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, which in the locking position acts upon an adjustment mechanism non-return mechanism, preventing the action of the adjustment mechanism in the direction of release or opening of the clamp 2. To this end, the non-return mechanism may be made up of an attached catch 15 of the shaft of the screw 11, against which a stop 16 may act which, in the closing position of the locking mechanism 4, is opposite the teeth of the catch 15, preventing the screw 11 from rotating in the opening direction thereof. Upon opening the locking mechanism 4, the stop 16 no longer acts upon the catch 15, thus being able to freely rotate the control 12 of the adjustment mechanism 11 in one direction or another.

[0017] As can be seen in Figure 4, when placing the device of the invention on the neck 13 of a container 6 and tightening the clamp 2 forming the adjustment device, the separation of said device from the neck 13 will be practically impossible, especially when said neck is finished off at its upper portion by a peripheral ridge or widening, as is usual in the necks of bottles and similar containers.

[0018] The passage 8 which is ended by the strips 7 in their lower portions may be replaced by a simple bend or thickening of the lower portions of said strips, which would prevent extraction thereof once the adjustment mechanism is locked on the neck.

[0019] The locking mechanism of the adjustment mechanism could also adopt a different constitution to that described, possibly consisting, for example, in a traditional lock the actuation of which could lock and unlock the adjustment mechanism.

Claims

1. A device for preventing unauthorised tampering of container caps, especially caps for bottles with a neck, characterised in that it comprises a protective hood for the cap which has coupling means for coupling it to the neck of the container; the coupling means of which include an adjustment mechanism for adjusting it on the neck of the container and a tamper-proof locking mechanism of the adjustment means.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the hood forms a cover which covers the cap and axially extends from the free edge of the wall thereof in a series of strips in the end portions of which there are assembled coupling means for coupling to the neck of the container.

3. A device according to claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the coupling means consist in an adjustable clamp and the adjustment mechanism consists in a worm screw which meshes with a toothed end portion of said clamp.

4. A device according to claims 2 and 3, characterised in that the strips into which the wall of the hood extend are finished off in their end portion in a passage located at the same height on all the strips for the passage therethrough of the strip forming the clamp.

5. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the locking mechanism of the adjustment mechanism consists in a combination lock which in its locking position acts upon a non-return mechanism of said adjustment mechanism, preventing the actuation thereof in the clamp release or opening direction..

6. A device according to claim 5, characterised in that the non-return mechanism consists in an stop attached to the shaft of the closing mechanism, which in the locking position thereof acts against an attached catch of the shaft of the adjustment mechanism.

Drawing