Container closure

Abstract

The invention relates to a closure (11) for closing a pouring opening (33) of a container (13), having a cylindrical screw thread (15) with an open edge (25) and an inner thread (27) which can interact with an outer thread (31) of a container neck (29) of the container (13), a tamper-evident ring (17) which is designed to be held at a protrusion (35) which is shaped at the container neck (29), a plurality of tamper-evident tabs (63) which detachably connect the tamper-evident ring (17) with the open edge (25), and a first retaining band (19a) with a first end (39) and a second end (41), wherein the first end (39) is fixedly connected with the open edge (25) of the screw thread (15) and the second end (41) is fixedly connected with the tamper-evident ring (17). The closure has a second retaining band (19b) with a third end (51) and a fourth end (53), wherein the third end (51) is fixedly connected with the open edge (25) of the screw thread (15) and the fourth end (53) is fixedly connected with the tamper-evident ring (17). An arc-shaped tab section (69) of the tamper-evident ring (17) is formed between the first end (39) and the third end (51). A second protrusion (71) is formed at an outer wall of the tab section (69).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a closure for closing a container and to a container having such a closure. BACKGROUND

[0002] From the prior art in the field of plastic closures with a tamper-evident ring, a closure is known which is inseparably held at the container and which closes a pouring opening of the container. Such a closure is also known which has two retaining bands which connect a screw thread of the closure with a tamper-evident ring of the closure. The two retaining bands can act as a hinge about which the screw thread can be folded away from the tamper-evident ring or from the container to be closed.

[0003] Such a closure is known from WO 2010 / 004919 A1. The retaining bands each have an inclined section whose angle of inclination with respect to the vertical decreases gradually as the screw thread is moved upward with respect to the tamper-evident ring. Thereby, the retaining bands can act as a hinge. At the open edge of the screw thread, a protrusion is formed which protrudes downward. In the folded-away position of the screw thread, the protrusion comes into contact with a claw section of the container neck which holds the tamper-evident ring at the container neck. The protrusion holds the screw thread in the folded-away position and prevents the screw thread from getting in the way when pouring the product contained in the container.

[0004] In WO 00 / 26108 A1, a similar closure is disclosed. At the tamper-evident ring, two circularly arcuate arms are formed. Each arm is connected with the closure on the one hand by means of a film hinge and a bendable region and on the other hand with the tamper-evident ring. Thereby, a hinge action is achieved by the two arms. At a lateral skirt of the closure, a tab is formed which can rest on the container neck in the folded-away position of the closure. By means of the tab, the closure is held in the folded-away position.

[0005] However, these solutions of the prior art have the disadvantage that the protrusion or the tab cuts out of the tamper-evident ring and the tamper-evident ring is thereby weakened. This weakening of the tamper-evident ring can lead to damage of the tamper-evident ring when the closure is snapped onto the container neck. The weakened area also makes it possible that the tamper-evident ring comes apart accidentally, for example due to handling or mechanical action. Thereby, the tamper-evident ring can no longer fulfill its task of showing whether the closure has already been opened or not in cooperation with the tamper-evident tab. Finally, the protrusion at the closure is not user-friendly because it can break or get stuck during the operation.

[0006] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0007] It is therefore the object of the present invention to give a container closure which does not have the above-mentioned disadvantages and which still reliably holds the closure in its folded-away position at the container neck.

[0008] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] The invention is characterized in that a second protrusion is formed at the outer wall of the tab section and the open edge is in contact with the second protrusion in the open position. Thus, the screw-on part does not have a retaining protrusion which holds the screw-on part in the open position at the container neck as suggested in the prior art. The retaining protrusion according to the prior art has to be cut out of the tamper-evident ring, whereby the tamper-evident ring is inevitably weakened. In contrast thereto, according to the invention a second protrusion can be formed at the tab section with which the open edge of the screw-on part comes into contact and is held in the open position. Thus, the tab section does not have a weakening and is preferably as high as the tamper-evident ring. Thereby, the closure has sufficient stability to be able to be snapped onto the container neck without damage. Thus, the placement of the closure onto the container neck after filling the container can be realized mechanically and accordingly quickly by snapping. Furthermore, the screw-on part does not have a protrusion, whereby it is prevented from hooking or catching due to a protrusion of the screw-on part when using the screw-on part. Thereby, the screw-on part is easier to use than a screw-on part according to the prior art.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the second protrusion is designed at the edge of the tamper-evident ring facing the screw-on part. Thereby, the screw-on part is as far as possible turned up in the open position and does not interfere with the use of the container. Since the screw-on part can be turned up in the open position to the extent that it comes into contact with the support ring of the container, the turning-up angle is greatest due to the geometry when the second protrusion is as far away from the support ring as possible. By the contact at the support ring in the open position, the retaining part becomes more stable since there are two bearing points.

[0011] It has proven useful that the second protrusion is a radially outwardly protruding step. Thereby, the open edge of the screw-on part can be stably latched in the open position at the transition of the second protrusion to the container neck. It is also conceivable that the second protrusion is oriented obliquely downward toward the container in order to enhance the retaining action of the screw-on part. The second protrusion preferably has the same length as the tab section. It is however also conceivable that the length of the second protrusion is shorter than the length of the tab section.

[0012] It has proven advantageous that the second protrusion has a height of between 1 mm and 4 mm and preferably between 2 mm and 3 mm. This height is sufficient to stably hold the screw-on part in the open position and thus the open edge does not jump over the second protrusion. On the other hand, the height is not so high that the first and second retaining bands would have to be overstretched in order to pull the open edge over the second protrusion.

[0013] In another particularly preferred embodiment of the application, the first and third end portions embrace a first opening angle of at least 15 degrees and at most 40 degrees and preferably at least 20 degrees and at most 25 degrees with respect to the center of the closure as a vertex, and the second and fourth end portions embrace a second opening angle of at least 220 degrees and at most 270 degrees and preferably at least 240 degrees and at most 260 degrees with respect to the center of the closure as a vertex. By choosing these angle sizes, the first and second retaining bands are in a position at the tamper-evident ring in which they extend substantially tangentially along the container neck in the open position of the screw. Thereby, the retaining bands move with the screw when the screw is moved into the open position without remaining hanging at the container neck.

[0014] Suitably, the opening angle embracing the tab section with the center as a vertex substantially corresponds to the first opening angle. The tab section is preferably formed by cutting out the first and second retaining bands from the tamper-evident ring. It is also conceivable to provide a larger spacing between the first end portion of the first retaining band and the tab section or between the third end portion of the second retaining band and the tab section, which is larger than the spacing formed by cutting out the retaining bands.

[0015] Preferably, the first and second end portions embrace a third opening angle of at least 30 degrees and at most 60 degrees and preferably at least 40 degrees and at most 50 degrees with respect to the center of the closure as a vertex.

[0016] It is also preferred that the third and fourth end portions embrace a fourth opening angle of at least 30 degrees and at most 60 degrees and preferably at least 40 degrees and at most 50 degrees with respect to the center of the closure as a vertex. By this choice of the third and fourth opening angles, the first and second retaining bands have a length which enables unscrewing, transferring the screw into the open position and retaining the screw in the open position. In combination with the first and second opening angles, the retaining bands obtain a suitable position at the tamper-evident ring in order to allow the protruding movement of the screw.

[0017] Suitably, the third and fourth opening angles are of the same size, so that the first and second retaining bands are of the same length. Thereby, the screw is held in the second position with a uniform tension.

[0018] Since the first, second, third and fourth opening angles have a center as a vertex, their angles must be 360 degrees.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment of the application, the length of the first and second retaining bands is designed such that they are tensioned in the open position and the screw is held in the open position. Preferably, the retaining bands are elastically tensioned, whereby the screw can be repeatedly moved between the closed position and the open position. The tensioning of the retaining bands enables the screw to be held in the open position without play.

[0020] In another particularly preferred embodiment of the application, the cross-section of the first and second retaining bands is constant over the length of the first or second retaining band. Thus, the retaining bands have constant elastic properties over their length, so that a defined length of the retaining bands can be determined, over which the thread in its open position can be held stably and without play at the tamper-evident ring. In the open position, the first and second retaining bands are pre-tensioned. The elastic pre-tensioning of the retaining bands enables repeated unscrewing and rescrewing of the thread from the container neck and reliable holding of the thread in the open position a plurality of times. The constant cross-section of the retaining bands along their length prevents over-stretching of the retaining bands in the open position, in which the elastic properties of the retaining bands can be lost.

[0021] In another preferred embodiment of the application, a first or second tapering of the cross-section of the first or second retaining band is provided at the second or fourth end, so that the second or fourth end can function as a joint. The movement of the first and second retaining bands is made easier or limited in one rotational direction as a result of this joint function when the thread is being converted from the closed position into the open position. It is also conceivable that the first and third ends have a joint function, so that the first and second retaining bands can be moved like a lever with two fulcrum points during the movement of the thread. For example, the first and third ends can be bendably fixed at the open edge.

[0022] It is preferred that the tamper-evident tabs are arranged at a uniform spacing along the open edge. Thus, the tamper-evident ring is held sufficiently stably at the thread, so that the closure can be snapped onto the container neck. Since the spacing of the tamper-evident tabs is uniform, the thread can also be unscrewed with a uniform force.

[0023] Suitably, the first, second, third and fourth set-break tabs are arranged at a uniform spacing along the first and second or third and fourth edges. Thus, the closure is also sufficiently stable in the region of the first and second retaining bands to be snapped onto the container neck. In addition, the broken set-break tabs and the tamper-evident tabs indicate that the thread has been twisted relative to the container neck and is no longer in the original closed state.

[0024] Suitably, first and second recesses are provided at the edges of the tamper-evident ring facing the first and second retaining bands to accommodate the first and second retaining bands. Thus, the first and second retaining bands are space-saving and can be formed from the tamper-evident ring without additional material costs. For example, the first and second retaining bands can be cut out of the tamper-evident ring or formed during the production of the closure.

[0025] In another preferred embodiment of the application, the first and / or second end of the first holding band and the third and / or fourth end of the second holding band can be bent along a predefined bending line. Thus, the first and second holding bands can each act like a lever with two fulcrum points. The bending line also makes it so that the first and second holding bands do not bend or flex at random positions in the open position, but exactly at the bending line. Thus, the screw is held particularly precisely by the two holding bands in the open position and is guided precisely to the open position by the two holding bands.

[0026] In another particularly preferred embodiment, a recess is provided at the first cylindrical shell of the closure for accommodating a support ring designed on the container neck when the screw is in the open position. By means of this recess, a section of the support ring, i.e. snaps into it, the screw is stably held in the open position. The first and second holding bands are preferably slightly tensioned in the open position. In the case of the provision of the recess, the closure can not have a second protrusion. The closure can also have a second protrusion and the recess. The screw is then also more stably held in the open position, since it is held by the second protrusion and the support ring. It is required here that the second protrusion has a sufficient height so that it can come into contact with the open edge in the open position. The screw is held force- and form-lockingly at the support ring and at the tamper-evident ring.

[0027] Suitably, the recess is oriented essentially parallel to the open edge, wherein the recess has a straight recess shape. This recess shape can be manufactured with very low outlay, since the mold can be designed relatively simply and the closure can be simply ejected from the mold.

[0028] In another preferred embodiment, a plurality of ribs are formed at the outside of the first cylindrical shell, the length of the ribs extending in the axial direction of the screw and the height of the ribs extending in the radial direction of the screw. The provision of the recess requires that the thickness of the screw is greater than the depth of the recess. Screws with ribs known from the prior art are particularly well suited for the provision of the recess due to their increased thickness.

[0029] Advantageously, the recess is realized by means of a U-shaped recess being provided at the adjacent ribs, wherein the depth of the respective recess at the adjacent ribs decreases on both sides starting from the middle rib. This shape of the recesses makes it possible to realize the simplified manufacture described above.

[0030] It has proven useful for an inwardly projecting inner cone to be formed at the screw base, for example in the form of a sealing cylinder or a sealing ring, which is designed to interact in a sealing manner with the inner wall of the container neck in the closed position. Thus, the closure can act as a so-called "cone-sealer" and reliably seal the bottle neck.

[0031] In another preferred embodiment of the application, the retaining band has a width of between 3 mm and 7 mm and preferably between 4 mm and 5 mm. This size results in that the retaining band does not accidentally tear, in particular when the tear-off break-off tab is torn off. Furthermore, the closure does not become too high and can be sealingly engaged with the standardized container neck by means of the outer thread.

[0032] The application is further characterized in that the closure is designed to interact with the standardized container neck by means of the outer thread and the annular projection. The closure can thus be placed on a standardized container neck, in particular the neck of a PET beverage bottle. The container engaged with the closure according to the application thus does not have to be specially adapted to the closure.

[0033] Suitably, the closure is made of a plastic material, preferably HDPE (High Density Polyethylen) or PP (Polypropylen). The closure can thus be produced from standard plastic materials, known closures with a tamper-evident ring are also produced from these materials.

[0034] In another preferred embodiment of the application, at least one of the thread, the tamper-evident ring, the retaining band and the first and second break-off elements is produced in one piece. The closure can thus be produced in a die casting mold without further processing steps to shape the first and second retaining bands. Preferably, the inner cone is also produced in one piece with the other parts of the closure.

[0035] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the application, the tamper-evident ring has split openings which are arranged in a distributed manner over the entire circumference with an upper edge and a lower edge, wherein the upper edge is formed by a section of the circular-arc-shaped extension of the tamper-evident ring and the lower edge is formed by a wall section which is inclined in the axial direction inwards and the lower edge of each split opening forms a protrusion, so that engagement means are formed for form-locking engagement with the annular protrusion. Due to the presence of the engagement means, which are in the form of the inwardly inclined wall section, which does not run around a full circumference at the tamper-evident ring, and in addition to this the split openings, which are further shaped to reduce the use of material, the material requirement for plastic can be significantly reduced by up to 5%. Furthermore, the inwardly inclined wall section is not movable in the radial direction, so that the tamper-evident ring is held at the annular protrusion and only when the tamper-evident ring is stretched along the circumference of the tamper-evident ring can it be pulled over the protrusion. The tamper-evident ring is held so fixedly at the annular protrusion by the wall section that the set breaking element tears safely before the holding of the wall section is eliminated. The wall section is, however, flexible or movable in the radial outward direction. Thus, the wall section can be demoulded from the die-casting mould or injection-moulding tool with little force. For the same reason, the application force for the press-on closure is significantly reduced compared to the prior art. The elongation of the tamper-evident ring during demoulding and pressing is largely avoided, which elongation can lead to permanent damage to the closure.

[0036] A further aspect of the application relates to a container having a container body, a container neck connected to the container body, an outer thread formed at the container neck and a closure according to the preceding description.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment of the application, a support ring is formed at the transition from the container neck to the container body and the screw member is in contact with the second protrusion and the support ring in its open position. By the additional contact at the support ring in the open position, the holder becomes more stable, since there are two bearing points.

[0038] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the application, in the open position the support ring is accommodated in the recess and the screw member is thereby held force- and form-lockingly at the second protrusion and at the support ring. In this variant, the screw member is particularly stably held in the open position. It is also conceivable, however, for only the recess or only the second retaining protrusion or step to be provided at the closure, i.e. either the second retaining protrusion or the recess.

[0039] Further advantages and features emerge from the following description of three embodiments of the application with reference to the schematic drawings. The drawings are not shown to scale.

[0040] Figure 1 A side view of the closure in the first embodiment is shown, in which the closure is in the closed position;

[0041] Figure 2 A side view of the closure in the second embodiment is shown, wherein the closure is in the closed position;

[0042] Figure 3 A side view of the closure and the container neck in the Figure 2 second embodiment is shown, wherein the closure is in the open position;

[0043] Figure 4 A top view of the closure in the Figure 3 second embodiment is shown;

[0044] Figure 5 An isometric view of the closure and the container neck in the Figure 3 second embodiment is shown;

[0045] Figure 6 A side view of the closure in the third embodiment is shown, wherein a groove is provided at the thread of the closure;

[0046] Figure 7 A second side view of the closure in the Figure 6 third embodiment is shown;

[0047] Figure 8 A side view of the closure according to the third embodiment is shown, wherein the closure is in the open position;

[0048] Figure 9 A detail view of the tamper-evident ring in another embodiment is shown, and

[0049] Figure 10 A sectional view of the tamper-evident ring in the Figure 9 third embodiment is shown, with the visualized angle of inclination.

[0050] A closure is shown in Figures 1 to 8 Fig. 1, which is designated as a whole by the reference numeral 11. The closure 11 is held inseparably at a container 13, in particular a bottle 13. The container 13 is shown in Figures 3 to 5 Fig. 2. The closure 11 comprises a cylindrical thread 15, a tamper-evident ring 17, and a first and a second retaining band 19a, 19b. The first and the second retaining band 19a, 19b are designed as circular and are shaped by the tamper-evident ring 17.

[0051] The screw 15 comprises a base 21 and a first cylindrical shell 23 with an open edge 25. An inner thread 27 is formed at the inside of the shell 23. The container 13 comprises a container body 28 and a container neck 29 connected to the container body 28. The container neck 29 is designed as a second cylindrical shell. An outer thread 31 is formed at the container neck 29, which interacts with the inner thread 27. Thus, the screw 15 can be screwed onto the container neck 29 and unscrewed therefrom. The closure 11 closes a pouring opening 33, which is provided within the container neck 29.

[0052] The tamper-evident ring 17 is held in form-fit at the container neck 13. To this end, a first annular protrusion 35 is formed at the outside of the container neck 29, which can be hooked behind the annular protrusion from behind by a protrusion 37 formed at the inside of the tamper-evident ring 17 Figure 9 and Figure 10 . The tamper-evident ring 17 can be twisted relative to the container neck 29.

[0053] The first retaining band 19a has a first end 39 and a second end 41. The first end 39 is fixedly connected with the open edge 25. The second end 41 is fixedly connected with the tamper-evident ring 17. Thus, the closure 11 is held inseparably at the container 13. Furthermore, the first retaining band 19a has a first edge 43 and a second edge 45. The first edge 43 is connected with the open edge 25 by means of at least one first set break tab 47 and the second edge 45 is detachably connected with the tamper-evident ring 17 by means of at least one second set break tab 49.

[0054] The second retaining band 19b has a third end 51 and a fourth end 53. The third end 51 is fixedly connected with the open edge 25. The fourth end 53 is fixedly connected with the tamper-evident ring 17. Thus, the closure 11 is additionally held inseparably at the container 13. Furthermore, the second retaining band 19b has a third edge 55 and a fourth edge 57. The third edge 55 is connected with the open edge 25 by means of at least one third set break tab 59 and the fourth edge 57 is detachably connected with the tamper-evident ring 17 by means of at least one fourth set break tab 61.

[0055] In addition, the tamper-evident ring 17 is held at the open edge 25 by means of a plurality of tamper-evident tabs 63. The tamper-evident tabs are preferably arranged at the tamper-evident ring 17 at an even distance. It is understood that the area of the tamper-evident ring 17 occupied by the first and second retaining bands 19a, 19b is free of tamper-evident tabs 63.

[0056] It is preferred that the first and second retaining bands 19a, 19b have a width of between 4 mm and 5 mm, whereby a sufficient stability is achieved.

[0057] According to Figure 1 or Figure 2The thread 15 is located in a closed position in which it is snapped on or screwed onto the container neck 29. When unscrewed from the container neck 29, the first and second holding bands 19a, 19b are pulled axially upwards and can also be elastically stretched if necessary, whereby the thread 15 can be unscrewed from the container neck 29 and folded away.

[0058] The first and second holding bands 19a, 19b are accommodated in the first or second recesses 65, 67. It is thus possible to machine the first and second holding bands 19a, 19b directly from the tamper-evident ring 17, for example by cutting them out of the tamper-evident ring.

[0059] Between the first end 39 of the first holding band 19a and the third end 51 of the second holding band 19b, an arc-shaped overlap section 69 is formed, which preferably has the height of the tamper-evident ring 17. At the edge of the overlap section 69 facing the open edge 25, a second protrusion 71 is formed. The second protrusion 71 has the shape of a radially outwardly protruding step. The height of the step is preferably 2 mm to 3 mm.

[0060] When the thread 15 is transferred from its unscrewed position to its open position, the first and second holding bands 19a, 19b act as a hinge about which the thread can be flipped into the open position. The first and second holding bands 19a, 19b are designed in terms of their length such that the open edge 25 is pulled to the tamper-evident ring 17 and comes into contact therewith in the open position. In the open position, the first and second holding bands 19a, 19b are preferably tensioned or elastically stretched. In order to keep the thread 15 in the open position and not to fold back, the thread is positioned under and held by the second protrusion 71. Preferably, the thread 15 also comes into contact with the support ring 72 of the container 13 in the open position Figure 3 ).

[0061] Because the second protrusion 71 is designed at the tamper-evident ring 17 and not shaped at the thread 15, the overlap section 69 does not have a weakening attributable to the second protrusion. The tamper-evident ring 17 is thus sufficiently stable to be able to be snapped onto the container neck 29.

[0062] Since the closure 11 is axis-symmetrical, it has a centre 73. The centre 73 lies in an imaginary plane between the open edge 25 and the tamper-evident ring 17. The first end 39 and the third end 51 subtend a first opening angle 75 of at least 15 degrees and at most 40 degrees and preferably of at least 20 degrees and at most 25 degrees with respect to the centre 73 as apex. The second end 41 and the fourth end 53 subtend a second opening angle 77 of at least 220 degrees and at most 270 degrees and preferably of at least 240 degrees and at most 260 degrees with respect to the centre 73 as apex.

[0063] The first end 39 and the second end 41 subtend a third opening angle 79 of at least 30 degrees and at most 60 degrees and preferably of at least 40 degrees and at most 50 degrees with respect to the centre of the closure as apex. The third end 51 and the fourth end 53 subtend a fourth opening angle 81 of at least 30 degrees and at most 60 degrees and preferably of at least 40 degrees and at most 50 degrees with respect to the centre 73 as apex. It is understood that the sum of the first, second, third and fourth opening angles 75, 77, 79, 81 must be 360 degrees, since the first, second, third and fourth opening angles have the centre 73 as apex. By choosing the first, second, third, fourth opening angles, it is possible to give the first and second retaining bands 19a, 19b a length which makes the above-mentioned function of the closure 11 in combination with the second protrusion 71 possible.

[0064] Suitably, the third and fourth opening angles 79, 81 are the same, in the sense that the first and second retaining bands 19a, 19b are the same length. The first and second retaining bands 19a, 19b are preferably machined from the tamper-evident ring 17.

[0065] According to Figure 1 or Figure 6 and Figure 7 the embodiment, a first or second tapering 83, 85 of the cross-section of the first or second retaining band 19a, 19b is provided at the second or fourth end 41, 53. Due to the first and second tapering 83, 85, the second or fourth end 41, 53 can function as a joint.

[0066] In the embodiment according to Figures 2 to 5 the cross-section of the first and second retaining band 19a, 19b is constant along the length of the first or second retaining band 19a, 19b. Thus, the first and second retaining band 19a, 19b can be stretched stably.

[0067] If the closure 11 is pressed onto the container neck 29, the pouring opening 33 is closed by the closure 11 and the closure 11 is in the closed position. Upon unscrewing the screw cap 15 from the container neck 29, the first, second, third and fourth set break-off tabs 47, 49, 59, 61 and the tamper-evident tab 63 break. The tamper-evident ring 17 rotates with the screw cap 15. During unscrewing, the first and second retaining bands 19a, 19b can be bent up. Here, the second and fourth end portions 41, 53 act as joints via the first and second tapering portions 83, 85. Preferably, the first and third end portions 39, 51 can also be bent, for example outwards, since the movement of the screw cap 15 into the open position is thereby simplified and the first and second retaining bands 19a, 19b can act more defined as hinges.

[0068] As described above, the screw cap 15 is folded into the open position after unscrewing from the container neck 29 by snapping the open edge 25 at the second protrusion 71. By selecting the first, second, third and fourth opening angles 75, 77, 79, 81, the first and second retaining bands 19a, 19b have a length which enables the screw cap 15 to be unscrewed from the container neck 29 and to be held at the second protrusion 71 in the open position. The length of the first and second retaining bands 19a, 19b is precisely coordinated here. If the length of the retaining bands is too long, the screw cap 15 is not held firmly enough at the second protrusion 71, sways and is not supported at the second protrusion 71. If the length of the retaining bands is too short, the screw cap 15 snaps back from the open position and impedes the pouring of the filling material from the pouring opening 33.

[0069] In the open position, the screw cap 15 is held inseparably at the container 13 and thus fixed at the container neck 29 such that the screw cap does not protrude into the pouring opening 33 when the liquid is poured from the container 13. The first and second retaining bands 19a, 19b enable, after unscrewing the screw cap 15 from the container neck 29, a forced guided folding movement of the screw cap into the open position. Due to the forced guidance and the second protrusion 71, there is only one and not multiple open positions. The length and the cross section of the first or second retaining bands 19a, 19b are preferably set such that the length of the first and second retaining bands 19a, 19b is elastically tensioned in the open position of the screw cap 15. Thus, the screw cap 15 is pulled to the container neck 29 and to the second protrusion 71 in the open position and held there without play. The elastic pretensioning of the first and second retaining bands 19a, 19b also allows that the screw cap can be repeatedly transferred from the open position into the closed position and vice versa. Thus, the container neck 29 can be repeatedly opened and closed and the screw cap 15 is stably and without play held in the open position after each opening.

[0070] In Figures 6 to 8The third embodiment of the invention is shown below. In this embodiment, a groove 91 is provided at the first cylindrical housing 23. The groove 91 is oriented substantially parallel to the open edge 25 and preferably has a straight concave shape. That is, the groove 91 does not describe an arcuate shape relative to the convex or concave shape of the first cylindrical housing 23, although this is possible. It should be understood that the first cylindrical housing 23 must have sufficient thickness, at least in the area of ​​the groove 91, such that the thickness can have a corresponding depth and the threaded part 15 will not fail to seal due to the arrangement of the groove 91. Therefore, it is preferred that a plurality of ribs 93 are formed on the outer side of the first cylindrical housing 23. These ribs are known and, in addition to design considerations, also serve the purpose of facilitating the tightening and loosening of the threaded part 15 by increasing friction upon touch. The length of the ribs 93 extends in the axial direction of the cap. The height of the ribs 93 extends in the radial direction of the threaded part 15. The height of the ribs 93 may also increase in the direction of the bottom 21, thereby giving the threaded part 15 a frustoconical shape. When ribs 93 are provided, grooves 91 are achieved by providing U-shaped recesses 95 at each adjacent rib 93. Starting from the middle rib 93, the depth of the corresponding recesses 95 at adjacent ribs 93 decreases on both sides. In this case, the grooves 91 are derived from the cross-section of the two main bodies, namely the threaded part 15 with "bars" that leave grooves 91 as an imprint.

[0071] The groove 91 is used to receive the support ring 72 in the open position of the threaded part 15, such as Figure 8 As shown. Therefore, it is conceivable that the groove 91 has an imprinted shape corresponding to the area of ​​the support ring 72 that interacts with the groove 91. In this embodiment where the threaded member 15 is held in the open position, the second protrusion 71 is not provided. Therefore, the threaded member 15 is held in the open position by the combined action of the first and second retaining bands 19a, 19b and the support ring 72 and the groove 91. Here, the lengths of the retaining bands 19a, 19b are designed such that the retaining bands have a specific tension in the open position and the groove 91 engages with the support ring 72. Thus, the threaded member is held in the open position without wobbling.

[0072] However, it is also conceivable that a second protrusion 71 and a groove 91 are formed or provided at the cap 11. In this case, the threaded part is held particularly stably at the container neck 29 in the open position because the threaded part 15 is engaged and / or force-locked at the second protrusion 71 and the support ring 72 in the open position.

[0073] Protrusion 37 can be based on Figure 9 and 10The following figures illustrate the form. This embodiment of the protrusion 37 is the subject of Swiss patent applications Nos. 01467 / 19 and 01695 / 19, the priority of which is protected and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. A slit 97 is provided at the tamper ring 17 along its entire circumference. Each slit 97 has an upper edge 99 and a lower edge 101. The upper edge 99 is formed by an arcuate section of the tamper ring 17. The lower edge 101 corresponds to the open edge of the wall section 103, which slopes inwardly radially. The lower edge 101 has a smaller radius than the tamper ring 17 due to the inward slope of the wall section 103, and therefore, when the threaded part 15 is unscrewed from the container neck 29, the lower edge may collide with the base (annular protrusion 35) of the container neck 29. This base is achieved by the annular protrusion 35, which is formed below the external thread 31 at the container neck 29. When the threaded part 15 is unscrewed, the lower edge 101 engages with the protrusion 35, thereby ensuring that the anti-pry ring 17 is reliably held at the annular protrusion 35 even under high axial force.

[0074] Each wall segment 101 has a first sub-segment 105 and two second sub-segments 107. The first sub-segment 105 is an inwardly folded shell segment and is preferably designed to be flat. The second sub-segments 107 are connected to the inwardly folded side of the first sub-segment 105 and are connected to the tamper-evident ring 17. The second sub-segments 107 may be designed to be curved or flat and are inclined inwardly opposite each other. The lower edge 101 of the slit 97 corresponds to the open edge of the first sub-segment 105 and the second sub-segment 107 and is located at... Figure 10 In the plane 109 shown. Plane 109 is preferably oriented perpendicular to the axis of rotation 110 of the container neck 29. The design features of the wall section 103 have the advantage that the wall section 103 can abut against the annular protrusion 35 with its entire lower edge 101 and will not yield upward in a barbed manner under axial tension. Therefore, the tamper ring 17 is held inseparable at the protrusion 35 or can be separated from the protrusion 35 only in the event of damage. The axially inward movement of the first sub-section 105 is prevented by providing the second sub-section 107. However, the axially outward movement of the first sub-section 105 is possible. This movement is flexible, and after the wall section 103 is pressed radially outward, the wall section returns to its initial inwardly inclined position. This also has the advantage that the tamper ring 17 can be easily demolded and can be pressed onto the container neck 29 with only a small force along with the threaded part 15. The flexibility of the wall section 103 allows it to be demolded from the die-casting mold and pressed onto the container neck 29 without the risk of damage to the wall section 103.

[0075] Preferably, the inclined wall section 103 has a reduced wall thickness relative to the remaining anti-pry ring 17. Figure 10As can be seen, the region of the lower edge 101 has the smallest wall thickness. This further optimizes the above-mentioned flexibility of the wall section 103 radially outwards. The wall thickness of the wall section 103 increases linearly from the lower edge 101 downwards.

[0076] In Figure 9 and 10 the tamper-evident ring 17 without the screw 15 is shown. In Figure 9 and Figure 10 It can be clearly seen that above the split 97 at the tamper-evident ring 17 an annular elevation 111 is formed on which the upper edge 99 rests.

[0077] In Figure 10 the first and second inclination angles 113, 115 are drawn. The first inclination angle 113 defines the inclination of the first subsection 105 relative to the plane of the lower edge 101. The first inclination angle 113 is between 60 and 80 degrees and preferably between 65 and 75 degrees. The greater the first inclination angle 113, the better the stability of the wall section 103 against a vertical force, i.e. an axial pulling force, which occurs when the screw 15 is unscrewed. However, the first inclination angle 113 must not be too great, because otherwise the annular protrusion 35 cannot be sufficiently undergriped.

[0078] The second inclination angle 115 defines the inclination of the split 97 relative to the plane of the lower edge 111. The connecting straight line 117, which represents the inclination of the split 97, is the connection of the upper edge 99 and the lower edge 101 in the plane extending through the rotation axis 110 and the connecting straight line 117. The second inclination angle 115 is enclosed by the connecting straight line 117 and the plane 109. The second inclination angle 115 is between 30 and 50 degrees and preferably between 35 and 45 degrees. The greater the second inclination angle 115, the easier the demoulding of the tamper-evident ring 17.

[0079] The inwardly projecting inner cone 87 is preferably formed at the bottom 21 of the screw 15 (not shown) Figure 4 , for example in the form of a sealing cylinder or a sealing ring. The inner cone 87 is designed to interact in a sealing manner with the inner wall 89 of the container neck 29 in the closed position. Thus, the closure 11 can function as a so-called "cone-sealer" and reliably seal the container neck 29.

[0080] The closure 11 is made of plastic. As preferred plastics, primarily PP and HDPE are considered.

[0081] Legend:

[0082] 11 closure

[0083] 13 container, bottle

[0084] 15 screw

[0085] 17 tamper-evident ring

[0086] 19a first retaining band

[0087] 19b second retaining band

[0088] 21 screw base

[0089] 23 first cylindrical housing

[0090] 25 open edge

[0091] 27 internal thread

[0092] 28 container body

[0093] 29 container neck

[0094] 31 external thread

[0095] 33 pouring spout

[0096] 35 first annular protrusion

[0097] 37 protrusion

[0098] 39 first end of first retaining band

[0099] 41 second end of first retaining band

[0100] 43 first edge of first retaining band

[0101] 45 second edge of first retaining band

[0102] 47 first set fracture tab

[0103] 49 second set fracture tab

[0104] 51 third end of second retaining band

[0105] 53 fourth end of second retaining band

[0106] 55 third edge of second retaining band

[0107] 57 fourth edge of second retaining band

[0108] 59 third set fracture tab

[0109] 61 fourth set fracture tab

[0110] 63 tamper-evident tab

[0111] 65 first recess

[0112] 67 second recess

[0113] 69 tab segment

[0114] 71 second protrusion, step

[0115] 72 support ring

[0116] 73 cover center

[0117] 75 first opening angle

[0118] 77 second opening angle

[0119] 79 third opening angle

[0120] 81 fourth opening angle

[0121] 83 first taper

[0122] 85 second taper

[0123] 87 inner cone

[0124] 89 inner wall

[0125] 91 recess

[0126] 93 rib

[0127] 95 U-shaped recess

[0128] 97 slit

[0129] 99 upper edge

[0130] 101 lower edge

[0131] 103 wall segment

[0132] 105 first sub-segment

[0133] 107 second sub-segment

[0134] 109 plane

[0135] 110 rotation axis

[0136] 111 annular ridge

[0137] 113 first inclination angle

[0138] 115 second inclination angle

[0139] 117 connecting straight line

Claims

1. A closure (11) for closing a pouring opening (33) of a container (13), having - a cylindrical screw part (15) with an open edge (25), a first cylindrical shell (23) and an internal thread (27) designed on the inside of the shell (23), which can interact with an external thread (31) of a container neck (29) of the container (13), - a tamper-evident ring (17) designed to be held at a first annular protrusion (35) shaped at the container neck (29), - a plurality of tamper-evident tabs (63) detachably connecting the tamper-evident ring (17) with the open edge (25), - a first retaining band (19a) with a first end (39) and a second end (41) and a first edge (43) and a second edge (45), wherein the first end (39) is fixedly connected with the open edge (25) of the screw part (15), the second end (41) is fixedly connected with the tamper-evident ring (17), the first edge (43) is detachably connected with the open edge (25) of the screw part (15) using at least one first set-break tab (47) and the second edge (45) is detachably connected with the tamper-evident ring (17) using at least one second set-break tab (49), and - a second retaining band (19b) with a third end (51) and a fourth end (53) and a third edge (55) and a fourth edge (57), wherein the third end (51) is fixedly connected with the open edge (25) of the screw part (15), the fourth end (53) is fixedly connected with the tamper-evident ring (17), the third edge (55) is detachably connected with the open edge (25) of the screw part (15) using at least one third set-break tab (59) and the fourth edge (57) is detachably connected with the tamper-evident ring (17) using at least one fourth set-break tab (61), wherein an arc-shaped tab section (69) of the tamper-evident ring (17) is formed between the first end (39) and the third end (51), and the screw part (15) can be folded from a closed position, in which it closes the pouring opening (33), into an open position, in which it completely releases the pouring opening (33), and vice versa, characterized in that a second protrusion (71) is formed on an outer wall of the tab section (69) and the open edge (25) is in contact with the second protrusion (71) in the open position. The second protrusion (71) is designed at an edge of the tamper-evident ring (17) facing the screw part (15). The second protrusion (71) is a radially outwardly protruding step. The second protrusion (71) has a height of between 1 mm and 4 mm. The second protrusion (71) has a height of between 2 mm and 3 mm. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2. The closure of claim 1, wherein ​ 3. A closure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that ​ 4. A closure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that ​ 5. A closure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that ​ 6. A closure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that The first end portion (39) and the third end portion (51) embrace a first opening angle (75) of at least 15 degrees and at most 40 degrees with respect to a center (73) of the closure (11) as a vertex, and The second end portion (41) and the fourth end portion (53) embrace a second opening angle (77) of at least 220 degrees and at most 270 degrees with respect to the center (73) of the closure (11) as a vertex.

7. A closure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that The first end portion (39) and the third end portion (51) embrace a first opening angle (75) of at least 20 degrees and at most 25 degrees with respect to a center (73) of the closure (11) as a vertex, and The second end portion (41) and the fourth end portion (53) embrace a second opening angle (77) of at least 240 degrees and at most 260 degrees with respect to the center (73) of the closure (11) as a vertex.

8. The closure of claim 6 wherein, The opening angle embraced by the tab section with the center (73) as a vertex corresponds essentially to the first opening angle (75).

9. A closure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that The first end portion (39) and the second end portion (41) embrace a third opening angle (79) of at least 30 degrees and at most 60 degrees with respect to a center (73) of the closure (11) as a vertex.

10. A closure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that The first end portion (39) and the second end portion (41) embrace a third opening angle (79) of at least 40 degrees and at most 50 degrees with respect to a center (73) of the closure (11) as a vertex.

11. The closure of claim 9, wherein The third end portion (51) and the fourth end portion (53) embrace a fourth opening angle (81) of at least 30 degrees and at most 60 degrees with respect to a center (73) of the closure (11) as a vertex.

12. The closure of claim 11, wherein, The third end portion (51) and the fourth end portion (53) embrace a fourth opening angle (81) of at least 40 degrees and at most 50 degrees with respect to a center (73) of the closure (11) as a vertex.

13. The closure of claim 11, wherein The third opening angle (79) and the fourth opening angle (81) are of the same size, so that the first retaining band (19a) and the second retaining band (19b) are of the same length.

14. The closure of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The lengths of the first retaining band (19a) and the second retaining band (19b) are designed such that the first retaining band and the second retaining band are tensioned in the open position and the screw member (15) is held in the open position.

15. The closure of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The cross section of the first retaining band (19a) and the second retaining band (19b) is constant along the length of the first retaining band (19a) or the second retaining band (19b).

16. The closure of claim 1 or 2, wherein A first narrowing (83) or a second narrowing (85) of the cross section of the first retaining band (19a) or the second retaining band (19b) is provided at the second end portion (41) or the fourth end portion (53), so that the second end portion (41) or the fourth end portion (53) can function as a joint.

17. The closure of claim 1 or 2, wherein A first recess (65) and a second recess (67) are provided at the edge of the tamper-evident ring (17) facing the first holding strap (19a) and the second holding strap (19b) for accommodating the first holding strap (19a) and the second holding strap (19b).

18. The closure of claim 1 or 2, wherein The first end portion (39) and / or the second end portion (41) of the first holding strap (19a) and the third end portion (51) and / or the fourth end portion (53) of the second holding strap (19b) can be bent along a predefined bending line.

19. The closure of claim 1 or 2, wherein A recess (91) is provided at the first cylindrical housing (23) for accommodating a support ring (72) designed at the container neck (29) when the screw (15) is in the open position.

20. The closure of claim 19, wherein The recess (91) is oriented essentially parallel to the open edge (25), wherein the recess (91) has a straight recess shape.

21. The closure of claim 19, wherein A plurality of ribs (93) is formed at the outside of the first cylindrical housing (23), the length of the ribs extending in the axial direction of the screw (15) and the height of the ribs extending in the radial direction of the screw.

22. The closure of claim 21, wherein The recess (91) is realized by providing a U-shaped recess (95) at each of the adjacent ribs (93), wherein the depth of the respective U-shaped recess (95) at the adjacent ribs (93) decreases on both sides starting from the middle rib (93).

23. The closure of claims 1 or 2, wherein, An inwardly projecting inner cone (87) is shaped at the bottom (21) of the screw (15), the inner cone being designed to interact in a sealing manner with the inner wall of the container neck (29) in the closed position.

24. The closure of claims 1 or 2, wherein, An inwardly projecting inner cone (87) is shaped at the bottom (21) of the screw (15) in the form of a sealing cylinder or a sealing ring, the inner cone being designed to interact in a sealing manner with the inner wall of the container neck (29) in the closed position.

25. The closure of claims 1 or 2, wherein, The first holding strap (19a) and the second holding strap (19b) have a width of between 3 mm and 7 mm.

26. The closure of claims 1 or 2, wherein, The first holding strap (19a) and the second holding strap (19b) have a width of between 4 mm and 5 mm.

27. The closure of claims 1 or 2, wherein, The closure (11) is designed to interact with a standardized container neck (29) using an outer thread (31) and a first annular protrusion (35).

28. The closure of claims 1 or 2, wherein, The closure (11) is made of a plastic material.

29. The closure of claims 1 or 2, wherein, The closure (11) is made of PP or HDPE.

30. The closure of claims 1 or 2, wherein, The screw (15), the tamper-evident ring (17), the first holding strap (19a) and the second holding strap (19b), the tamper-evident tab (63) and the at least first set break tab (47), second set break tab (49), third set break tab (59) and fourth set break tab (61) are produced in one piece.

31. The closure of claims 1 or 2, wherein, The tamper-evident ring (17) has slits (97) arranged discretely over the entire circumference with an upper edge (99) and a lower edge (101), wherein the upper edge (99) is formed by a section of the circular-arc-shaped extension of the tamper-evident ring (17) and the lower edge (101) is formed by a wall section (103) which is inclined inwards in the axial direction and the lower edge (101) of each slit (97) forms a tab (37) so that engagement means are formed for form-lockingly engaging the first annular tab (35).

32. A container (13) having - a container body (28), - a container neck (29) connected to the container body (28), - an outer thread (31) formed at the container neck (29), and - a closure (11) for closing a pouring opening (33) arranged within the container neck (29), the closure (11) having - a cylindrical screw part (15) with an open edge (25) and an inner thread (27) which can interact with the outer thread (31) of the container neck (29) of the container (13), - a tamper-evident ring (17) which is designed to be held at a first annular tab (35) which is shaped at the container neck (29), - a plurality of tamper-evident tabs (63) which detachably connect the tamper-evident ring (17) to the open edge (25), and - a first retaining band (19a) having a first end (39) and a second end (41) and a first edge (43) and a second edge (45), wherein the first end (39) is fixedly connected to the open edge (25) of the screw part (15), the second end (41) is fixedly connected to the tamper-evident ring (17), the first edge (43) is detachably connected to the open edge (25) of the screw part (15) using at least one first set-breaking tab (47) and the second edge (45) is detachably connected to the tamper-evident ring (17) using at least one second set-breaking tab (49), and - a second retaining band (19b) having a third end (51) and a fourth end (53) and a third edge (55) and a fourth edge (57), wherein the third end (51) is fixedly connected to the open edge (25) of the screw part (15), the fourth end (53) is fixedly connected to the tamper-evident ring (17), the third edge (55) is detachably connected to the open edge (25) of the screw part (15) using at least one third set-breaking tab (59) and the fourth edge (57) is detachably connected to the tamper-evident ring (17) using at least one fourth set-breaking tab (61), wherein a circular-arc-shaped tab section (69) of the tamper-evident ring (17) is formed between the first end (39) and the third end (51), and The screw thread (15) is foldable from a closed position, in which it closes the pouring opening (33), into an open position, in which it completely releases the pouring opening (33), and vice versa, characterized in that The closure is a closure (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 30.

33. The container of claim 32, wherein, A support ring (72) is formed at the transition from the container neck (29) to the container body (28), and the screw thread (15) is in contact with the second protrusion (71) and the support ring (72) in the open position.

34. The container according to claim 33, characterized in that A recess (91) is provided at the first cylindrical housing (23) for accommodating a support ring (72) designed at the container neck (29) when the screw thread (15) is in the open position, in which the support ring (72) is accommodated in the recess (91) and the screw thread (15) is thereby form- and force-lockingly held at the second protrusion (71) and at the support ring (72).

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