US 12,409,980 B2
Cap for a container
Zeno Zuffa, Borgo Tossignano (IT)
Assigned to SACMI COOPERATIVA MECCANICI IMOLA SOCIETA' COOPERATIVA, Imola (IT)
Filed by SACMI COOPERATIVA MECCANICI IMOLA SOCIETA' COOPERATIVA, Imola (IT)
Filed on Jun. 13, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/742,117.
Application 18/742,117 is a division of application No. 17/768,392, granted, now 12,054,317, previously published as PCT/IB2020/059597, filed on Oct. 13, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 102019000018737 (IT), filed on Oct. 14, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0336405 A1, Oct. 10, 2024
Int. Cl. B29C 43/42 (2006.01); B29C 33/44 (2006.01); B29C 45/00 (2006.01); B29C 45/33 (2006.01); B29C 45/44 (2006.01); B65D 41/34 (2006.01); B29C 43/36 (2006.01); B29L 31/56 (2006.01)
CPC B65D 41/3428 (2013.01) [B29C 33/44 (2013.01); B29C 43/42 (2013.01); B29C 45/0081 (2013.01); B29C 45/33 (2013.01); B29C 45/44 (2013.01); B29C 2043/3665 (2013.01); B29L 2031/56 (2013.01); B65D 2401/20 (2020.05)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
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, which is internally threaded and extends 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 remain anchored to the neck of the container even when the cap body is uncoupled from the neck, and including:
a retaining portion, configured to engage a locking member on the neck of the container, and
a joining portion, where the tamper evident ring is joined to the cap body, the joining portion being configured to be torn along a full perimeter surrounding the longitudinal axis in response to a movement of the body away from the tamper evident ring,
wherein the cap further comprises a connecting band having a first end connected to the side wall of the body and a second end connected to the retaining portion of the tamper evident ring, wherein the connecting band extends, without interruptions, between the first end and the second end, the first end being connected to the side wall of the body in a first connecting zone and the second end of the connecting band being connected to the retaining portion of the tamper evident ring in a second connecting zone, so that the cap can be positioned in:
a first operating configuration, where the retaining portion of the tamper evident ring engages the locking member of the container neck, the cap body is coupled to the container neck and the tamper evident ring is joined to the cap body both by the joining portion of the tamper evident ring and by the connecting band, and
a second operating configuration, where the retaining portion of the tamper evident ring engages the locking member of the container neck, the cap body is uncoupled from the container neck and the tamper evident ring is joined to the cap body by the connecting band but is separated from the cap body at the joining portion which is torn,
wherein the first end of the connecting band is connected to the side wall of the body in a first connecting zone of the side wall of the body and the second end of the connecting band is connected to the retaining portion of the tamper evident ring in a second connecting zone of the retaining portion,
wherein the cap further comprises a narrow thickness zone located between the first connecting zone and the second connecting zone, wherein the narrow thickness zone is defined in the side wall of the body and/or in the tamper evident ring, and
wherein the narrow thickness zone is interposed between the first connecting zone and the second connecting zone and is defined by a limited angular portion of an annular zone of the cap, the narrow thickness zone being defined in the side wall of the body and/or in the tamper evident ring.