Anti-Counterfeit sealing device

Abstract

 Disclosed herein is an anti-counterfeit sealing device provided at a neck portion (2) of a packaging container. The anti-counterfeit sealing device comprises an upper body (10) integrally coupled to the neck portion (2) by a body clamp (60), a lower body (20), an anti-counterfeit means (50) floating on the water by buoyancy, an open/close plummet (30) adapted to open/close a pathway in the lower body (20), and a middle stopgap (40), the open/close plummet (30), the middle stopgap (40) and the anti-counterfeit means (50) being provided inside the upper body (10) and the lower body (20) so as to prevent a third party who has no right to do so from repackaging the container. Once the container provided with the anti-counterfeit sealing device is open, it cannot be used for repackaging the illegal contents, and consumers can purchase an original product with confidence by easily recognizing the counterfeit product. Moreover, as the third party cannot repackage the illegal contents with the container any more, the supplier can achieve enhancement of sales.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a sealing device for a packaging container, and more particularly to an anti-counterfeit sealing device for a packaging container, which is provided at a neck portion of the container such that when the container is slanted, a gap is not formed between the sealing device and the neck portion of the container, thereby preventing the container from being refilled with illegal contents by a third party who has no right to do so.

[0002] Generally, unlike a typical container, a packaging container filled with high price liquor, such as foreign liquor, has a stopper sealed with a sealing device. Specifically, a sealing device of the packaging container 1 disclosed in EP 0 502 379 A2 includes upper and lower bodies 100 and 200 tightly fitted into a neck portion 2 of the container by a body clamp 500, a middle stopgap 300 and a ball 400, which are situated in the middle of the upper and lower bodies 100 and 200 for preventing the container from being repackaged with a counterfeit substance by a third party who has no right to do so.

[0003] More specifically, the upper body 100 is formed at the center thereof with a cork receiver hole 110 such that the middle stop-gap 300 can move in the upper and lower side inside the cork receiver hole 110, and the lower body 210 is formed at the center of the lower body 210 with a ball receiver hole 210 such that the balls can move in the upper and lower side inside the ball receiver hole 210.

[0004] According to the above construction, when the container is slanted such that the neck portion 2 is directed downward after a bottle cork 3 is removed from the neck portion of the container with the packaging container 1 held in hand, the ball 400 rolls along the ball receiver hole 210, pushing the middle stop-gap 300 up to the upper side. As a result, after moving through a gap between the ball 400 and the ball receiver hole 210 and through a gap between the middle stopgap 300 and the lower body 200, contents in the container pass through the upper body 100, being discharged to the outside. Here, the contents continue to flow out as long as the container is slanted. In a normal state of the container, the middle stopgap 300 and the ball 400 act to block external content from entering the container through the lower body 200, making it difficult to refill the container with the external content, so that counterfeiting the contents can generally be prevented.

[0005] However, when applying a vacuum to the inside of the container using an injector passing through the gaps formed between the middle stopgap 300 and the upper body 100 and between the ball 400 the lower body 200, respectively, the contents can be injected into the container, thereby allowing the container to be repackaged after being refilled with the external contents. As a result, the construction of the anti-counterfeit sealing device has a problem in that an original anti-counterfeit effect cannot be ensured.

[0006] As the contents (e.g. high price foreign liquor) counterfeited as described above are in illegal circulation, consumers are lead to misunderstand low price foreign liquor as high price foreign liquor, and thus can buy the low price foreign liquor at a high price or drink a low quality liquor or a liquor containing impurities, thereby causing not only financial losses but also detrimental health effects.

[0007] Moreover, due to the foreign liquor being in the illegal circulation or on sale, confidence in all foreign liquors as well as the brand name corresponding to the foreign liquor is lost, inflicting a loss on the manufacturer of the foreign liquor. Further, since it is difficult to regulate illegal forgery, the consumers are subjected to direct damage.

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an anti-counterfeit sealing device, in which in the case where contents are not contained in the container, a gap is not generated due to the force of gravity acting on a middle open/close plummet and the buoyancy of foam when slanting a container, preventing a third party who has no right to do so from repackaging the container, so that the container having an illegal foreign liquor repackaged therein cannot be circulated.

[0009] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of an anti-counterfeit structure provided at a neck portion of a packaging container, comprising: an upper body integrally coupled to the neck portion by a body clamp, a lower body, an anti-counterfeit means floating on the water by buoyancy, an open/close plummet adapted to open/close a pathway in the lower body, and a middle stopgap, the open/close plummet, the middle stopgap and the anti-counterfeit means being provided inside the upper body and the lower body so as to prevent a third party who has no right to do so from repackaging the container.

[0010] The foregoing and other objects and features of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a packaging container provided with an anti-counterfeit structure according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the sealing structure according to the present invention;

Figures 3a and 3b are perspective views in section of the anti-counterfeit sealing structure according to the present invention;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the sealing structure according to the present invention;

Figures 5a and 5b are views illustrating embodiments of respective anti-counterfeit means, which can be applied to the sealing structure of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the packaging container provided with a sealing structure according to a conventional technology; and

Figures 7a and 7b are perspective views in section of the sealing structure according to the conventional technology.

[0011] Preferred embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0012] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a packaging container provided with an anti-counterfeit structure according to the present invention, and Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the sealing structure according to the present invention. Figures 3a and 3b are perspective views in section of the sealing structure according to the present invention, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the sealing structure according to the present invention. As shown in the drawings, according to the present invention, there is provided an anti-counterfeit structure provided at a neck portion of a packaging container, which comprises an upper body 10 integrally coupled to the neck portion 2 by a body clamp 60, a lower body 20, an anti-counterfeit means 50 floating on the water by buoyancy, an open/close plummet 30 adapted to open/close a pathway in the lower body 20, and a middle stopgap 40, the open/close plummet 30, the middle stopgap 40 and the anti-counterfeit means 50 being provided inside the upper body 10 and the lower body 20 so as to prevent a third party who has no right to do so from repackaging the container.

[0013] Specifically, the upper body 10 includes an outer part 11 provided at the inside thereof with a latching protrusion 14, an inner part 12 formed with a latching end 13 which the anti-counterfeit means 50 contacts and is then latched thereto, and a flange 15 below the lower end of the upper body 10. Here, the outer part 11 and the inner part 12 are integrally formed such that contents, for example foreign liquor, induced into the container through the outer part 11 and the inner part 12 can flow out through a space defined between them.

[0014] Reference numeral 16 denotes an air vent, and reference numeral 18 denotes a protrusion receiving groove.

[0015] The lower body 20 includes an inner flange 21 formed with a landing surface 25, which receives an opening/closing surface 31 of the open/close plummet 30 and closes the container for shielding inner and outer portions of the lower body, a pathway 22 for discharging the contents contained in the container, an upper end flange 23 formed with a connect protrusion 24 extended therefrom such that the connect protrusion 24 is received in the protrusion receiving groove 18 and is then coupled to the upper body 10, and a guide protrusion 26 provided at an inner wall of the lower end for guiding the open/close plummet 30 and the anti-counterfeit means 50 to move up or down.

[0016] Here, the bottom surface of the flange 15 and the top surface of the upper flange 23 have a saw shape, respectively, whereby the upper body 10 and the lower body 20 can be safely assembled without being wrenched left and right or being separated after being assembled.

[0017] The open/close plummet 30 is formed with an open/close protrusion 31 received in the lower body 20 to open/close the container, a receive groove 32 formed such that the receive groove 32 can push up a coil spring by weight of the contents induced into the lower body 20, and a latching end 33 adapted such that the anti-counterfeit means 50 contacts and is latched thereto.

[0018] The open/close plummet consists of PET (Polyethylenterephthalate) or PC (Polycarbonate), which is a material with a density greater than water.

[0019] Meanwhile, as shown in Figure 5, the anti-counterfeit means 50 is made of foam, the volume of which is expanded 20 ~ 40 times that of a source of resin, and floats on the water by buoyancy.

[0020] Moreover, Figure 5b shows another anti-counterfeit means 50'. The anti-counterfeit means 50' may be made of PE or PP (Polypropylene) material and has a hollow shape. The anti-counterfeit means 50' also floats on the water by buoyancy.

[0021] Operation of the sealing structure according to the present invention structured as described above and effects thereof will now be described.

[0022] First, the open/close plummet 30 and the anti-counterfeit means 50 are sequentially inserted into the protrusion 26 of the lower body 20, and the upper body 10 is then assembled with the lower body 20. Specifically, when assembling the upper body 10 with the lower body 20, the flange 15 of the upper body 10 contacts the upper end flange 23 so that it is face to face with the upper end flange 23 at the outer side of the connect protrusion 24 formed at the upper end flange 23 of the lower body 20, so that the connect protrusion 24 can be received in the protrusion receiving groove 18. At this time, the anti-counterfeit means 50 and the open/close plummet 30 completely block the pathway 22 of the lower body 20. Then, with desired contents contained in the packaging container 1, the assembled upper body 10 and the lower body 20 are inserted into the neck portion 2. Subsequently, with the flange 15, the upper end flange 23 and a bottle-cap coupling end 2-1 covered by the body clamp 60, the body clamp 60 strongly clamps them, so that the upper body and the lower body can be connected, and fixed to each other. Finally, the bottle-cap 3 is assembled to the container, thereby completing the assembly of the packaging container 1.

[0023] In such a state that the bottle-cap 3 is assembled to the container, if one wishes to drink the contents of the packaging container 1, after the bottle-cap 3 is removed from the neck portion 2 (in Figure 3a), the container is slanted such that the neck portion 2 is directed downward with the packaging container 1 held in hand, so that the open/close plummet 30 inserted into the protrusion 26 of the lower body 20 is lowered to the locking end 13 by the self-weight along with the anti-counterfeit means 50. Accordingly, the open/close protrusion 31 is separated from the inner flange 21, so that the contents (for example, foreign liquor) pass through the space formed between the open/close plummet 30 and the lower body 20 and through the middle stopgap 40 to be discharged to the outside (in Figure 3b).

[0024] Then, the packaging container 1 returns to its original position on the floor, the open/close plummet 30 moves down to the bottom of the lower end along the guide protrusion 26, so that the open/close protrusion 31 contacts the landing surface 25 formed at the inner flange 20 so as to be face to face with each other while pushing the landing surface 25 down by the self-weight of the open/close plummet 30, thereby closing the packaging container 1 (in Figure 3a). At this time, the anti-counterfeit means 50 is also moved down to the bottom of the lower body 20 along with the open/close plummet 30.

[0025] Here, even though a third party who has no right to do so tries to insert illegal contents into an empty container having the anti-counterfeit structure of the invention provided at the neck portion 2 of the container, with the container slanted such that the neck portion 2 thereof is directed downward in an attempt to repackage the illegal contents using the empty container, the anti-counterfeit means 50 floats due to its buoyancy during the injection, whereby the open/close plummet 30 again blocks the pathway 22, making it difficult to inject the illegal contents into the container any more. That is, even though a small quantity of illegal contents can be injected into the container, a complete counterfeit cannot be manufactured according to the above method.

[0026] Moreover, when the third party wants to separate the open/close plummet 30 using an instrument such as a sick, since the latching protrusion 14 and the middle stopgap 40 completely surround the open/close plummet 30, the open/close plummet 30 cannot be separated by the instrument such as a stick.

[0027] As apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, even though, after applying the inside of the container to a vacuum by slanting the packaging container for the purpose of forgery, the third party tries to inject the contents such as illegal foreign liquor into the container, the anti-counterfeit means 50 pushes up the open/close plummet with the buoyancy thereof during the injection to block the pathway, thereby preventing the forgery. Thus, there are provided advantageous effects in that once the container provided with the anti-counterfeit sealing device is opened, it cannot be used for repackaging the illegal contents, and consumers can purchase an original product with confidence by easily recognizing the counterfeit product. Moreover, the third party cannot repackage the illegal contents with the container any more, the supplier can achieve enhancement of sales.

[0028] It should be understood that the embodiments and the accompanying drawings as described above have been described for illustrative purposes and the present invention is limited by the following claims. Further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are allowed without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the accompanying claims.

[0029] Although a few preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

[0030] Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0031] All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

[0032] Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

[0033] The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. An anti-counterfeit sealing device provided at a neck portion of a packaging container, comprising:

an upper body integrally coupled to the neck portion by a body clamp;

a lower body;

an anti-counterfeit means floating on the water by buoyancy;

an open/close plummet adapted to open/close a pathway in the lower body; and

a middle stopgap, the open/close plummet, the middle stopgap and the anti-counterfeit means being provided inside the upper body and the lower body so as to prevent a third party who has no right to do so from repackaging the container.

2. The anti-counterfeit sealing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the upper body includes an outer part provided at the inside thereof with a latching protrusion, an inner part formed with a latching end which the anti-counterfeit means contacts and is then latched thereto, and a flange below the lower end of the upper body, and wherein the outer part and the inner part are integrally formed such that contents such as foreign liquor induced into the container through the outer part and the inner part flows out through a space defined between them.

3. The anti-counterfeit sealing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the lower body includes an inner flange formed with a landing surface for receiving an opening/closing surface of the open/close plummet and closing the container to shield inner and outer portions of the lower body, a pathway for discharging the contents contained in the container to the outside of the container, an upper end flange formed with a connect protrusion extended therefrom such that the connect protrusion is received in the protrusion receiving groove and is then coupled to the upper body, and a guide protrusion provided at an inner wall of the lower end for guiding the open/close plummet and the anti-counterfeit means to move up or down.

4. The anti-counterfeit sealing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the open/close plummet is formed with an open/close protrusion received in the lower body to open/close the container, a receive groove formed such that the receive groove can push up a coil spring by weight of the contents induced into the lower body, and a latching end adapted such that the anti-counterfeit means contacts the latching end and is latched thereto.

5. The anti-counterfeit sealing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the anti-counterfeit means is made of foam, the volume of which is expanded 20 ~ 40 times that of a source of resin, and floats on the water due to its buoyancy.

6. The anti-counterfeit sealing device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the anti-counterfeit means is made of a PE or PP (Polypropylene) material, and has a hollow shape.

Drawing