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Tamper resistant closures

Tamper resistant closures description/claims

1. Technical Field

This invention relates to tamper resistant closures and in particular to closures for use with drinking vessels such as cup-like containers and bottles or other necked containers to prevent tampering with the contents thereof. In one aspect, the closure is in the form of a cap for a cup-like container. In another aspect, the closure is in the form of a stopper for use with bottles or other necked containers. The present invention in a further aspect aims to provide a container such as a cup-like container and bottle-like containers provided with tamper resistant closures of the above type.

2. Background Art

An increasing problem which is encountered in nightclubs or other establishments or even in private events where drinks are served in cups, bottles or other containers is that of drink. tampering also commonly known as drink spiking. Thus where a person leaves a drink unattended for a short period of time, a substantial risk arises that a contaminant can be placed into the drink unknown to the person.

This is a particular risk to females where drugs commonly known as “date-rape” drugs can be introduced into a drink container such as a cup or drink bottle with the aim of rendering the female drinking from the cup or bottle incapacitated and therefore making them susceptible to assault or sexual attack. Of course this problem can also arise in relation to males who after drinking a contaminated drink may be rendered susceptible to assault and possible robbery.

The present invention aims in one aspect to provide a closure for use with a cup or other similar drinking vessel which prevents or substantially reduces the risks of tampering with the container or the contents thereof. The present invention aims in another aspect to provide a closure for a necked container such as a bottle which prevents or substantially reduces the risks of tampering with the container or the contents thereof. In another aspect, the present invention aims to provide containers provided with closures of the above type. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

The present invention thus provides in one aspect a closure for a liquid container laving an open upper end through which liquid in said container can be consumed, said closure being adapted to prevent unauthorized tampering with the contents of said container and having:

a main body, said main body having an upper side and a lower side and a peripheral engagement portion adapted to be engaged with said container whereby said closure substantially closes the upper end of said container and removal of said closure from said open upper end is inhibited; and

a dispensing spout on said upper side of said main body enabling dispensing of the contents of said container.

The container in one embodiment comprises a drinking vessel in the form of the cup and the main body of the closure which is in the form of a lid suitably has a peripherally extending return flange adapted to cooperate with the cup adjacent the open end thereof to prevent or inhibit detachment of the closure from the cup. The cup may be provided with an inwardly directed annular rib surrounding its open upper end and the return flange is suitably adapted to locate within the open upper end of the cup and below the rib to cooperate therewith to inhibit detachment of the closure from the cup. The return flange is suitably adapted to be resiliently deflected to pass the annular rib to allow the closure to be applied to and be retained to the cup.

Preferably the closure main body includes a downwardly extending peripherally extending skirt and the return flange extends upwardly from a lower end of the skirt.

Preferably the inwardly directed rib of the cup is provided on its top side with an inclined lead in surface which facilitates inward resilient deflection of the return flange as the closure is applied to the cup.

The dispensing spout suitably comprises a hollow cap-shaped body. A plurality of dispensing ports or slots may be arranged circumferentially of the spout body and define fluid outlets.

The body of the dispensing spout further suitably comprises an outer annular rim or ridge which surrounds the dispensing ports or slots. The rim or ridge defines a moat around the ports or slots.

Suitably the main body comprises a top wall having a recess therein to accommodate the nose of the person drinking from the container.

The present invention in another aspect provides in combination, a cup having an open upper end and an inwardly directed annular rib surrounding said upper end and a closure as described above, the peripheral engagement portion of the closure being adapted to cooperate with the rib to inhibit removal of the closure from the container

In another embodiment, the container has a neck terminating in an outlet defining the open upper end of the container, and the closure is a stopper-like closure adapted to be located with the neck with the peripheral portion of the main body frictionally engaged therewith to hold the closure therein.

Suitably the peripheral portion comprises an annular maximum diameter edge portion of the main body. The main body may have a frustoconical leading portion tapering from the annular edge portion towards a leading end of the main body, that is the end inserted into the neck, to facilitate placement of the closure into the neck of the container. The main body may also have a frustoconical trailing portion extending rearwardly from the annular edge portion to said dispensing spout.

The dispensing spout as above suitably comprises a hollow cap-shaped body extending from the main body of the closure. The body of the dispensing spout is suitably stepped inwardly from the main body of the closure. A plurality of dispensing ports or slots are suitably arranged circumferentially around the body of the dispensing spout. Preferably the dispensing spout includes a substantially planar top wall. Preferably the dispensing openings intersect the top wall and define in the top wall a substantially planar top surface. The dispensing openings may be of a slot-like configuration.

The body of the dispensing spout is adapted to define with the necked portion of the container, an annular channel forming a moat surrounding the dispensing ports or slots.

The present invention in another aspect provides in combination, a container having a neck and a stopper-like closure as described above, said closure being located within the neck with the peripheral engagement portion of the closure being frictionally engaged with, the inner surface of the neck.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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