Captive closure with stabilized opening angle

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a captive closure consisting of a screw cap having at least one cylindrical cap skirt with an internal thread and a circumferential tamper-evident band at the lower, open end of the cap skirt. The tamper-evident band is connected to the lower edge of the cap skirt via at least one easily tearable weakening line. After tearing along the weakening lines, the tamper-evident band remains permanently connected to the cap skirt via retaining bands. The present invention also relates to a combination of a container neck with an external thread and a corresponding screw cap.

[0002] Plastic products and corresponding plastic waste, particularly in the form of so-called microplastics, which form from plastic waste through abrasion and decomposition, are increasingly in the focus of public attention. The screw caps to which the present invention relates are also made of plastic, typically polyethylene or polypropylene. While the deposit system, which has also been introduced for disposable plastic bottles, reduces the number of plastic bottles accumulating in residual waste, which are instead recycled, this does not prevent, however, that in many cases the bottle caps are not screwed back on after emptying, but are disposed of separately or thrown away, thus entering the environment in an uncontrolled manner and, for example, entering the sea along shores and beaches.

[0003] Therefore, there have been and continue to be efforts to design closures on bottles, especially beverage bottles, so that they remain attached to the bottle neck even after the bottle has been opened. This property is also referred to as "captive."

[0004] Captive closures are known in principle.

[0005] From WO 2009 / 002057 A2, for example, a container with a cap is known which prevents the loss of the cap and additionally prevents the cap from rotating idle while the contents are emptied from the container.

[0006] Particularly in disposable bottles, the so-called tamper-evident bands, which are connected to the lower edge of a cap via weak points, remain attached to the bottle neck below a so-called pilfer-proof ring and already form a captive part of the closure. Therefore, one only needs to ensure that the screw cap remains connected to the tamper-evident band via at least one band section or similar, referred to here as a retaining band, even after the screw cap has been opened and removed from the bottle neck thread. This band, in turn, is held in place by the so-called pilfer-proof ring.A pilferproof ring is typically a ring-shaped projection running around the bottom of a bottle neck thread, with a substantially flat or slightly conical underside, behind which radially inwardly projecting projections or parts of a tamper-evident band hook, so that when a screw cap is unscrewed, the tamper-evident band is held in place by the pilferproof ring, while the weak points provided between the tamper-evident band and the cap jacket tear.

[0007] All that is then required is to ensure that the connection between the guarantee band and the cap body, which remains via at least one retaining band, is sufficiently long to allow the screw cap to be lifted completely from the bottle neck opening and moved sideways or tilted away from the bottle neck opening.

[0008] However, these captive screw caps have often proven to be very annoying in use, as the caps move back in front of the bottle opening when pouring liquid from a corresponding bottle, for example, or twist at the bottle neck under the effect of gravity and get into the liquid stream when pouring.

[0009] Especially when a user wants to drink directly from a bottle, screw caps still attached to the bottle neck are often in the way and annoying. Conventional captive closures can also cause problems when closing bottles in high-performance capping systems.

[0010] Captive closures have therefore not yet achieved the desired level of practical application. The present invention is therefore based on the task of designing a captive screw cap with a tamper-evident band in such a way that, after being unscrewed and removed from the bottle neck, the screw cap can be folded or tilted away into a position that does not interfere with further use of the bottle and drinking or pouring from the bottle, and can remain there without any additional measures. The screw cap is also referred to here as the "cap" for short.

[0011] This object is achieved by a screw cap according to the present invention as defined in claim 1.

[0012] In the screw closure according to the invention, retaining bands are formed by two weakening lines, each interrupted at least once in the circumferential direction, which run at an axial distance from one another and partially overlap each other in the circumferential direction, wherein interrupted sections of both weakening lines are bridged by the other weakening line at an axial distance. The weakening lines can be produced by cuts or by dividing lines with webs already formed in the injection mold.

[0013] The aforementioned interrupted sections of the weakening lines are hereinafter referred to as "separating bars." The separating bar of the upper weakening line effectively forms an axial extension of the cylindrical cap skirt limited to a circumferential sector. The separating bar of the lower weakening line forms an axial extension of a lower tamper-evident band section fixedly attached to the bottle neck.

[0014] In the case of conventional closures in which the tamper-evident band and cap body are connected along a single, circumferential line of weakness that tears open upon initial opening, the term "tamper-evident band" refers to all sections at the lower edge of a closure cap body that lie axially below or, from the cap thread, beyond the level of the line of weakness, which corresponds to the line referred to here as the upper line of weakness.

[0015] "Axially below" here also includes the inwardly and upwardly angled section of a so-called flexible band, which forms an axial extension of the outer tamper-evident band section during the manufacture of the closure cap, even if parts of this angled flexible band section, when folded upwards, may extend on the inside of the cap above the level of the upper weakening line.

[0016] To simplify the description, the above definition of the term "guarantee band" is retained here. This means that both separating strips are considered part of the guarantee band as long as they lie below the level of the upper weakening line, even if the separating strip of the upper weakening line remains firmly attached to the lower edge of the cap skirt and only detaches along the lower weakening line from the parts of the guarantee band that remain stationary on the bottle neck. This also applies analogously to the retaining strips, which, when the cap is closed, are also below the level of the upper weakening line, but nevertheless do not remain in this position during and after opening.

[0017] The guarantee band thus defined consists of a part which remains stationary on the bottle neck and which, apart from rotation, remains immovable relative to the bottle neck, and of movable parts, such as the retaining bands and the upper separating strip, which are movable relative to the stationary part and the bottle neck during opening but remain connected to the stationary part.

[0018] In this way, the closure remains permanently connected to the bottle neck.

[0019] The separators have ends in the circumferential direction, each of which is connected to one of the ends of the retaining bands across their axial width. The separators have at least the same inner radius as the cap skirt. The axially downward-facing free end face of the upper separator is referred to as the lower edge, while the axial end region of the upper separator encompassing the edge is referred to as the "rim."

[0020] The circumferentially overlapping sections of the weakening lines define the retaining bands as strip-shaped sections of the tamper-evident band running between the weakening lines in the circumferential direction.

[0021] The cylindrical cap shell with internal thread defines one axis of the closure, and the bottle neck, onto which a corresponding screw cap is screwed, defines one axis of the bottle neck. When closed, these axes coincide.

[0022] A sufficient axial spacing of the lines of weakness, for example, at least 2 mm in their overlapping area, results in sufficiently strong retaining bands that will not tear up to a tensile force of 30 N and generally up to 40 N. Therefore, it is not easily possible for an average consumer, and especially for children, to tear the screw cap off the part of the tamper-evident band held under the pilfer-proof ring by tearing the retaining bands. This ensures that the cap, including the tamper-evident band, remains permanently attached to the bottle neck.

[0023] By appropriately coordinating the circumferential extent of the separating webs and the distance (measured in the axial direction) of the weakening lines, it is possible to ensure that a screw cap, after being unscrewed, lifted off and folded over, is brought into a sufficiently stable position at a sufficient distance from the container neck opening, in which position it remains after opening and folding over and, regardless of the orientation of the associated container or bottle neck, does not end up in a disturbing position in front of the bottle neck opening due to its own weight.

[0024] The terms "container" and "bottle" are used synonymously in the context of the present invention, since the exact type of container is not important for the purposes of the invention, as long as it has a neck with an external thread onto which the closure or screw cap of the closure fits.

[0025] Conveniently, each of the two lines of weakness has exactly one separating rib, and the centers of the two separating ribs are diametrically opposite each other. The lines of weakness are axially spaced from each other in their overlapping areas. In one embodiment, in the unopened closure, the two lines of weakness remain in the same axial position along their entire circumferential extent, but with a different axial position between the two lines of weakness. However, the axial position of the lines of weakness can also vary along their circumferential direction, as long as this does not make the retaining bands too narrow and maintains a sufficient tear strength of at least 30 N to preferably at least 40 N.

[0026] In the separating webs of the lines of weakness, such an axial distance is not important and the other line of weakness which is not interrupted there could, in this area, change to an axial position which otherwise corresponds to the interrupted line of weakness or has an even greater axial distance from it.

[0027] The upper weakening line defines a dividing line between the lower edge of the cap skirt and the tamper-evident band. The lower weakening line divides the tamper-evident band along a circumferential section into a lower and an upper tamper-evident band section. The upper tamper-evident band section is firmly connected to the cap skirt in the area of ​​the interruption of the upper weakening line and otherwise defines a section of the dividing line between the retaining bands and the lower tamper-evident band section.

[0028] According to the invention, the tamper-evident band is a so-called flexible band, which has a first outer tamper-evident band part running in axial extension of the cylindrical cap jacket and a second tamper-evident band part which is folded radially inwards and upwards from the lower end of the first tamper-evident band part, the free, upwardly facing end of which has engagement elements for engagement with the underside of the pilfer-proof ring.

[0029] The terms "top" and "bottom" are used here as they would be if the closure were placed on the neck of a vertically standing bottle.

[0030] The separation of the tamper-evident strip along the entire length of the weakening lines results in strip-shaped sections of the tamper-evident strip being created in the overlapping area of ​​the weakening lines due to their axial spacing, which are referred to here as retaining strips. These retaining strips connect the respective separating webs of the upper and lower weakening lines, whereby these separating webs in turn form a connection to the cap jacket or to the first tamper-evident strip part, which is intended to remain stationary on a bottle neck. The separating web of the lower weakening line helps determine the length of the retaining strips, but has no further function with regard to the stability of the open cap position. The separating web of the upper weakening line (upper separating web), on the other hand, depending on its design, contributes significantly to stabilizing a widely opened state of the cap.Therefore, whenever reference is made to the "separator" without further identification, this upper separator is always meant. This separator forms an axial extension of the cap shell and is firmly attached to it.

[0031] The ends of this separator in the circumferential direction are each connected to one of the ends of the retaining straps. The other end of the retaining straps is each connected to the ends of the lower separator in the circumferential direction.

[0032] After unscrewing and then folding away or turning over the screw cap, which remains connected to the bottle neck via the separating bars and the retaining straps, the cap, after a pivoting movement of approximately 90°, comes into a position in which the lower edge of the separating bar, which is pivoted with the cap, is moved radially inwards towards the bottle neck and the upper edge of the separating bar, which is immediately adjacent to the cap jacket, is moved radially outwards away from the bottle neck.

[0033] The retaining straps between the two dividers are twisted and hold the cap, or rather the divider that axially extends the cap, in contact with the bottle neck. The lower edge of the divider, or its lower edge, is in contact with the bottle neck and forms a pivot point on the bottle neck, which, however, shifts axially during the pivoting movement on the bottle neck.

[0034] Apart from a slight restoring force of the twisted retaining bands, the guarantee band initially does not offer any significant resistance during the folding movement of the screw cap and the radial pivoting of the lower edge of the separator towards the bottle neck.

[0035] Since the retaining straps are connected to the ends of the divider across their entire width, the sections of the retaining straps immediately adjacent to the upper end of the divider are stretched somewhat more than the sections adjacent to the lower end of the divider. The axial height of the divider between the pivot point and the upper attachment of the retaining straps thus forms a lever for the tensile force of the retaining straps, which supports the further opening movement of the cap when a dead center of the pivoting movement of approximately 90° is exceeded. This allows the cap to reach a stable opening angle of, for example, 140° compared to its initial position. In addition, due to the upward movement of the screw cap, the retaining straps extend with the upper divider over the pilferproof ring, which contributes to the stretching and tensile stress in the retaining straps. The fact that the divider extends over a certain circumferential angle of, for example,20 - 60°, leads to an increase in the distance between the ends of the divider and the bottle neck when the cap is folded over due to the curved course of the divider along the circumference and with the radius of the cap jacket and thus to a corresponding increase in the tensile force in the retaining straps, which thus hold the cap in the wide open position by pulling the folded divider towards the bottle neck.

[0036] In principle, however, the retaining bands, i.e. the length of the overlapping areas of the two weakening lines, and also the axial height and circumferential length of the separating web are designed in such a way that any elongation of the bands remains in the elastic range and does not reach the yield point.

[0037] This means that the engagement between the lower edge of the divider and the bottle neck by the retaining bands exerts a varying force on the divider. This force initially increases when the screw cap is tilted, then passes a dead center, and then decreases again when the screw cap and with it the upper divider are tilted by more than approximately 90° relative to their closed position, whereby the retaining bands extending between the two dividers are twisted. Due to a comparatively small wall thickness of, for example, 0.3 to 0.6 or 0.8 mm and a moderate (measured in the axial direction) width of the retaining bands of, for example, 3 mm, the elastic restoring forces due to the torsion of these retaining bands are relatively small compared to the force that the retaining bands exert on the upper divider in the direction of the bottle neck.

[0038] As a result, the folded position of the closure, reached after overcoming a dead center, remains essentially stable and the screw cap does not move in a disturbing manner in front of or too close to the bottle neck opening.

[0039] In order to ensure that the screw cap does not cause interference, especially when drinking from the bottle neck, the axis of the closure cap, which coincides with the axis of the bottle neck when the closure is closed, should, in one embodiment, assume a stable position after opening and folding to the side, in which it is pivoted by at least 120 degrees, preferably by at least 140°, relative to the starting position or relative to the axis of the bottle neck.

[0040] In view of the functioning of the captive closure during and after the screw cap is folded over, it becomes clear that the specific restoring and stabilising forces generated depend on a whole series of interacting parameters, including a certain axial width and the circumferential extent of the upper separating strip fixed to the cap jacket, the difference between the outer radius of the bottle neck and the inner radius of the separating strip, which corresponds to the inner radius of the cap, as well as the circumferential extent of the weakening lines and the lower separating strip (and thus the length of the retaining bands).

[0041] The aforementioned parameters can be adjusted in various combinations so that the flipping movement of the screw cap occurs over a dead center, so that the screw cap has a bistable position overall, while the screw cap, in the fully open, stable position, does not impede access to the bottle neck. Preferred and practically functional values ​​for the above parameters are specified below and in the dependent patent claims.

[0042] In principle, it is advisable, although not mandatory, for each line of weakness to have exactly one separator, with the centers of the separators being diametrically opposite each other. The separator of the lower line of weakness, which is firmly connected to the rest of the tamper-evident band, limits the overlap between the upper and lower lines of weakness in one direction. The overlap of the lines of weakness determines the length of the retaining bands that connect the remaining tamper-evident band on the bottle neck to the screw cap casing.

[0043] According to the invention, the separating strip of the upper weakening line extends over a circumferential angle between 10° and 75°, preferably in the range between 20° and 60°. An angle in this range ensures that the separating strip is inherently stable and is folded over together with the cap skirt and that, when opened, not only the cap skirt is bent over relative to the separating strip, and, on the other hand, this also ensures sufficient force to hold the folded closure in its fully open position, for which the separating strip must have a certain minimum length in the circumferential direction.

[0044] According to the invention, the separating web of the lower weakening line, which is diametrically opposite the separating web of the upper weakening line, extends over a circumferential angle between 120° and 200°, preferably between 170° and 190°, wherein the difference between the circumferential angles of the upper and lower separating webs defines the length of the retaining bands which extend between the remaining part of the guarantee band and the cap jacket.

[0045] The width of the separating strip remaining on the cap jacket should preferably be at least half the width of the entire, intact, i.e. not yet severed along the weakening lines, tamper-evident strip, so that the torsion of this relatively wide section compared to the remaining tamper-evident strip causes a corresponding difference in diameter and length between the radially inner, lower edge of the separating strip and the upper edge of the separating strip attached to the screw cap.

[0046] In numerical terms, the width (in the intact state) of the separating strip remaining on the cap skirt, measured in the axial direction, should be at least 1.5 mm, preferably at least 2 mm, and in particular approximately 3 mm or more. The wall thickness of the tamper-evident band, on the other hand, is in a range between 0.3 and 0.8 mm, so it is clear that the forces generated in the band by twisting the separating strip relative to the rest of the band are caused, among other things, by the different inner and outer radii of the twisted tamper-evident band sections (consisting of the retaining bands and the upper separating strip), which increases the wider the twisted section.

[0047] The minimum width of the retaining bands measured in the axial direction depends, among other things, on the specific plastic material used and also on the wall thickness of the retaining bands. According to the invention, the minimum distance between the weakening lines, which defines the minimum width of the retaining bands, is greater than 1 mm, preferably greater than 2 mm and in particular greater than 2.3 mm. An upper limit is determined in each case by the width of the tamper-evident strip. The retaining bands, which effectively form the sections of the tamper-evident strip running between the dividing lines, then have sufficient tear resistance to prevent the screw cap from being forcibly torn off the tamper-evident strip - at least by children's hands. The retaining bands are preferably tear-resistant up to a tensile force of at least 30 N, preferably at least 40 N.

[0048] The inventive combination of a bottle neck with an external thread and a closure, as described above, is characterized in that the outer diameter of the bottle neck above a pilfer-proof ring, the inner diameter of the tamper-evident band, as well as the width, the circumferential extent and any thickening of the upper separating strip are coordinated with one another in such a way that after loosening and upon subsequent folding of the screw cap, the free lower edge of the separating strip engages with the bottle neck. In the process, the retaining strips are slightly twisted. When a tilt angle of approximately 90° is exceeded, the cap with the separating strip is moved past a dead center, so that the outer side of the separating strip then faces the outer side of the bottle neck and the screw cap is stabilized in this position folded over by more than 90° due to a certain tensile stress of the retaining strips.

[0049] The tilt or fold angle is defined here as the angle between the axis of the bottle neck (which coincides with the closure axis when the bottle or container neck is closed by the closure) and the closure axis in the folded state.

[0050] The difference between the outer diameter of the bottle neck in an area above the pilfer-proof ring, in which the upper separating strip of the tamper-evident band is located on the bottle neck after the closure has been opened, should be no more than 2.5 mm, preferably no more than 1.5 mm, smaller than the nominal inner diameter of the tamper-evident band. The "nominal inner diameter" refers to the inner diameter of the tamper-evident band without any flexible band section, which, in particular, also corresponds to the inner diameter of the cap in the area of ​​the upper separating strip before the weakening lines are cut.

[0051] In the variants discussed below, a small difference in diameter between the relevant section of the bottle neck or the pilferproof ring, along which the lower edge of the separating strip slides, and the diameter of the tamper-evident band is ensured by adapting the bottle neck diameter or the pilferproof ring profile and thus also its diameter.

[0052] A small difference in diameter ensures that the lower edge of the separating rib, which is firmly connected to the lower edge of the cap skirt and is located above the pilferproof ring after the screw cap has been unscrewed, engages with the bottle neck even at a relatively small tilt angle and that a force caused by this engagement acts between the bottle neck and the separating rib, which holds and stabilizes the folded-over screw cap in the wide-open position.

[0053] In a variant of the inventive combination of container neck with screw thread and closure, the pilfer-proof ring has a profile which is defined by a lower flank which extends in an axial section at least 80° to the bottle neck axis, a region of maximum diameter and an upper flank which extends at an angle of inclination < 90° relative to the bottle neck axis and merges into the outer bottle neck diameter below the thread of the bottle neck. The upper flank or a section of the bottle neck extends above the upper flank of the profile of the pilfer-proof ring at least into or up to an axial position which is reached by the lower edge (11a) of the upper separating web when the screw cap is in its maximum folded-over position. This section has a larger outer diameter than the bottle neck (20) without the thread profile or in the thread root.

[0054] This means that when the screw cap is unscrewed and folded over, the upper separator is initially raised above the maximum diameter of the pilferproof ring, and its lower edge slides onto its upper flank. The enlarged bottleneck diameter in this area, which is swept over by the lower edge of the separator, pushes the separator radially outward further than would otherwise be possible with the bottleneck diameter that would otherwise exist between the pilferproof ring and the thread and also at the thread base. This causes further torsion of the retaining bands and thus rotates the separator and the screw cap into an even more tilted position.

[0055] The difference between the outer diameter of the upper flank or the section above and the bottle neck diameter without thread profile, ie at the thread root, should be at least 0.1 mm, preferably at least 0.3 mm and up to 1 mm in the variant described above.

[0056] In particular, in the inventive combination of a container neck with a screw thread and a closure, the pilferproof ring has a triangular or trapezoidal profile, the lower flank of which extends at an angle of 80° or more, i.e., perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the axis of the container neck, and the upper flank of which extends at an angle of approximately 30° or less to the axis of the container neck. When the container is opened by unscrewing the closure, the separating rib slides over the ridge between the flanks of the pilferproof ring, after which the upper flank of the pilferproof ring initially engages the separating rib.Due to the small angle of the upper flank, the flank has a large axial extent and the area defined by this flank of a diameter which is larger than the mentioned bottle neck diameter above it can easily extend over the area swept over by the lower edge of the separator when opening and folding over a screw cap.

[0057] Furthermore, the cylindrical neck section of the container neck, on which the cylindrical external thread is provided, can generally have a slightly larger diameter (by approximately 0.3 - 0.8 mm) below the thread and above the pilfer-proof ring than above, which leads to an even tighter engagement between the lower edge of the upper separator and the bottle neck and thus tends to further increase the tilt angle between the bottle neck axis and the axis of the closure.

[0058] Some established bottleneck standards cannot be changed in the short term, and otherwise only with effort and consultation among many parties, so that the diameter of a bottleneck or pilferproof ring and its profile are initially considered unchangeable. For this purpose, another design of a closure is presented, which is intended for use on standard bottlenecks with a standard thread depth of 1.3 mm or more. One example of this is the bottleneck according to the PCO Standard 1881.

[0059] With a deeper thread, the inner radius of the cap skirt also has a greater difference to the outer radius of the bottle neck than with a less deep thread, since the inner radius of the cap skirt corresponds at least to the radius of the thread base of the screw cap, which in turn is slightly larger than the outer radius of the bottle neck thread.

[0060] This applies accordingly to the lower edge area of ​​the cap jacket and the separating strip attached to it.

[0061] For such deeper threads, another parameter of the closure can be considered to ensure a sufficiently large and stable folding angle of the closure in the open state, namely the radial thickness of the upper separator at its lower edge.

[0062] When the guarantee band is intact, the lower edge of the upper separating strip runs along the lower weakening line and is limited by it.

[0063] In one embodiment, which is intended primarily for closures and bottles which have a thread depth of more than 1.2 or 1.3 mm, it is provided that the separating web of the upper weakening line has a radial thickening at least at its free lower edge.

[0064] In particular, this lower rim (when closed) is radially thickened outward. This thickening then rests above the pilfer-proof ring on the bottle neck after the screw cap is opened and folded over. This thickening on the divider compensates for at least part of the radius difference between the bottle neck and the inner radius of the upper divider, which, as explained above, is also increased due to the deeper thread.

[0065] The radial thickening is provided on the outside of the divider and at least in one or two positions near its lower edge. After the cap has been folded over by more than 90°, the radial thickening rests against the bottle neck or the upper flank of the pilferproof ring. The radial thickening on the divider thus forces the area of ​​the divider located radially inside the thickening - relative to the cap - particularly at its lower edge, to extend radially further outwards relative to the bottle neck. This effectively means that the part of the divider imagined without the thickening assumes exactly the same position and angular orientation as with a smaller radius difference between the bottle neck and the inside of the divider.

[0066] In one variant, the wall thickness of the separating strip is up to 1 mm due to a radial thickening of its lower edge, where "thickening" refers to the radial projection of this area beyond the otherwise cylindrical surface of the tamper-evident band. With a wall thickness of the remaining tamper-evident band of approximately 0.3 to 0.8 mm, this thickening is between 0.2 and 0.7 mm, in particular 0.2 to 0.4 mm. Without this thickening, the wall thickness of the tamper-evident band is essentially constant and equal to the wall thickness of the cap skirt—apart from the weakening lines.

[0067] However, the thickening can also extend across the entire tamper-evident strip section below the separating strip, i.e., down to the lower edge of the tamper-evident strip, and in particular also along the entire circumference of a lower tamper-evident strip section below a line, and between the upper and lower weakening lines and at a distance from them. This simplifies production in an injection mold and, in particular, the creation of the lower weakening line compared to a variant that has a radial thickening limited to an area along the lower edge of the separating strip.

[0068] The radial thickening of the upper separating rib is particularly noticeable with greater thread depths on the bottle neck beyond 1.3 mm, such as threads of the widely used standard type PCO1881. The thickening has a stabilising effect on the folded position of the opened closure cap and keeps the axis of the screw cap tilted by more than 120, preferably by more than 140° relative to the bottle neck axis when opened.

[0069] The combined axial dimensions of all parts below the cap skirt that traditionally form a tamper-evident band are limited in practice to a total of approximately 5 to 6 mm. On the one hand, the demand for material savings and the specifications of appropriately adapted bottle necks place an upper limit on this axial dimension. On the lower limit, this dimension is limited by sufficient functional stability. On the one hand, a tamper-evident band must be secured to the bottle neck in such a way that it is virtually impossible to remove it from the bottle neck without being damaged. On the other hand, it must also withstand the forces when applying the closure to a bottle neck thread, particularly while it is moved over the pilfer-proof ring. These requirements can no longer be met if significant parts of the tamper-evident band are axially shorter than, for example, 2 mm (apart from easily breakable bridges that may be distributed along a line of weakness).

[0070] If, as in the present case, the closure part below the cap skirt is additionally divided into the elements stationary part, retaining bands, and separating webs, there is little scope for variation in the axial width of the retaining bands and the axial height of the separating webs. In practice, both dimensions are in the range of 2 - 3 mm. In the circumferential area of ​​the retaining bands and the upper separating web, an axial width of approximately 2 - 3 mm then remains according to the invention for the stationary outer tamper-evident band section. Any axial variation in the course of the weakening lines along their circumferential extent would therefore, for practical reasons, also be limited to an axial area of ​​a maximum width of 1 mm. This would not change the basic function of a closure according to the invention and is therefore not discussed in detail here.

[0071] In one embodiment of the invention, the stationary part forms a flexible band with the outer stationary section already described and a part folded inwards and upwards, which engages with the pilferproof ring of a bottle neck.

[0072] In a further variant, the closure is designed for use on an opening spout of a cardboard packaging.

[0073] Such a screw closure for cardboard packaging comprises a closure base with a circumferential flange which can be sealed to the surface of a cardboard packaging, as well as a cylindrical pouring spout adjoining the flange and having an upper outer and a lower inner opening, a screw cap with an internal thread which can be screwed onto an external thread of the pouring spout, a cutting ring arranged in the pouring spout, which has at least one axially inwardly projecting cutting edge on its lower edge, and an axial lifting and driving device on the cutting ring and the screw cap, which comprises a driver attached to the inside of the screw cap and an axial lifting device,which, when the screw cap is turned in the opening direction, moves the cutting ring axially towards the lower opening and in the circumferential direction, thereby creating an at least partially circular cut in the container surface.

[0074] The object underlying the invention is also achieved for such a closure in that the screw cap has a circumferential tamper-evident band on the lower edge of its cap jacket, which engages behind a pilfer-proof ring on the outside of the pouring spout below the pouring thread with an inner projection, wherein the tamper-evident band is partially divided and partially separated from the jacket of the screw cap by two separate, partially circumferential and circumferentially partially overlapping and non-intersecting cuts, so that in the circumferentially overlapping areas of the cuts a retaining band is formed from parts of the tamper-evident band, which retains the screw cap, which has been released from the external thread, to the lower part of the tamper-evident band that remains divided on the closure.

[0075] This variant can also have all the features of the dependent claims 2 to 10, whereby with regard to the combination of bottle neck and closure in claims 12 to 15, the respective bottle neck would have to be replaced by the closure base attached to a beverage carton.

[0076] In such a closure, the cutting ring has on its outside a second external thread opposite to the external thread of the pouring spout, which engages with a matching second internal thread on the inside of the pouring spout,

[0077] In this variant, the second internal thread and the second external thread can have a larger pitch than the internal thread of the screw cap and the external thread of the pouring spout, whereby the factor between the different pitches is preferably at least 1.5

[0078] Furthermore, the driver of the screw cap can be designed as a lifting cam with a surface or edge inclined to the closure axis and an element of the cutting ring can be designed as a cam follower, and radially overlapping guide elements can be provided on the outside of the cutting ring and on the inside of the pouring spout, wherein the guide elements only allow an axial movement of the cutting ring at the beginning of an opening rotation of the screw cap and only allow the driving of the cutting ring in the circumferential direction after reaching a predeterminable axial position of the cutting ring and limit the further axial movement,

[0079] Further advantages, features, and possible applications of the present invention will become clear from the following description of a preferred embodiment and the accompanying figures. They show: Figure 1 a perspective view of the closure according to the present invention Figure 2the closure Figure 1 in a side view, Figure 3 a 360° unwinding of the guarantee band of the closure made of Figure 2 , Figures 4 AC the closure Figure 1 in different stages of an opening process, Figure 5 a folded closure in which the separating strip engages with the upper flank of a pilferproof ring, Figure 6A a detailed view Figure 5 , Figure 6B an axial section through a bottle neck with a pilferproof ring according to the invention, Figure 7 A detail analogous to Figure 5 with a different profile shape of a pilferproof ring, Figures 8A, 8B Variants of the design of a bottle neck in the area above a pilferproof ring, Figure 9 a side view of another embodiment of a closure, partly in section, in particular for larger thread depths, in the closed state Figure 9A an enlarged sectional view of detail area B in Figure 9 Figure 10 a side view of the embodiment according to Figure 9 in the open state, partly in section, Figure 10A an enlarged sectional view of detail A from Figure 10 Figure 11 an axial section through a closure for beverage cartons, Figure 12 the closure Figure 11 in a view from the outside in the closed state, Figure 13 the closed closure Figure 11 in a top view. Figure 14 the closure Figure 11 in a partially opened state and Figure 15 a fully opened closure according to Figure 11 with a folded screw cap.

[0080] According to the perspective view in Figure 1The closure according to the invention consists of a screw cap 10 with a tamper-evident band, wherein the screw cap 10 essentially consists of a cap shell 2 and a head plate 1, which closes the cylindrical cap shell 2 at the top. A tamper-evident band 3 is attached to the lower end of the cap shell 2, which, in the closure according to the invention, cannot be completely separated from the screw cap 10.

[0081] Conventional screw caps with a tamper-evident band have only a single line of weakness, which, unlike the line of weakness 13 shown here, runs uninterrupted along the entire circumference of the screw cap 10 and represents the dividing line between the screw cap 10 and the tamper-evident band 3.

[0082] A line of weakness can generally be a circumferential, uniform material weakening, which can be created, for example, by an incision that does not completely penetrate the material of the tamper-evident band 3 or the transition to the cap jacket 2, or it can be an incision that completely penetrates the wall thickness of the tamper-evident band 3, but is interrupted at individual points by easily breakable bridges.

[0083] The present invention differs from this conventional form of screw caps with a tamper-evident band in that it has two weakening lines 13, 14 which, on the one hand, are spaced apart from one another in the axial direction and, on the other hand, do not extend over the entire circumference of the tamper-evident band, but are interrupted in an upper separating web 11 of the upper weakening line 13 and in a lower separating web 12 of the lower weakening line 14.

[0084] The Figure 2is side view of the closure Figure 1 to recognize and Figure 3 shows a 360° development of the tamper-evident strip 3, i.e., the ends of the tamper-evident strip shown on the right and left at 0° and 360°, respectively, abut and connect, so that the tamper-evident strip has an overall ring shape. The separation in this development view divides the separating strip 12 into two parts, although it is actually a single, continuous separating strip.

[0085] The break lines 13, 14 are of different lengths, but are arranged in such a way that they overlap the separating web 11 or 12 of the other weakening line. It is advantageous if the centers of the separating webs 11, 12 are diametrically opposite each other, as in the present case at 0° and 180° in Figure 3 .

[0086] Once the weak connection initially present along the weakening lines 13, 14 has been completely severed after the screw cap has been opened or unscrewed from a bottle neck, the retaining bands 15, 16 formed in the overlapping area of ​​the weakening line form a substantially tear-resistant connection between the interrupted areas 11, 12. The interrupted area 11 is connected to the lower edge of the screw cap, and the interrupted area 12 is connected to the part of the tamper-evident band 3 that remains in its original position and is located below the weakening line 14.

[0087] The portion of the tamper-evident band 3 remaining below the weakening line 14, together with the interrupted area 12, forms a fully circumferential fastening band between the screw cap and the neck of the container, engaging with the bottle neck. The interrupted areas 12 and 11 are each connected to one another by remaining retaining bands 15, 16, which are created by the overlapping sections of the two weakening lines 13, 14, so that the screw cap 10 effectively remains connected to the lower section of the tamper-evident band and thus to the bottle neck via the retaining bands 15, 16, and is therefore captive.

[0088] In Figure 4Ashows a closure arranged on a bottle neck in a partially unscrewed state. The connection between screw cap 10 and tamper-evident strip 3 is severed along both weakening lines 13, 14. However, since both weakening lines are interrupted and axially offset from one another at least in their overlapping area, a movable connection between screw cap 10 and tamper-evident strip 3 remains via the retaining bands 15, 16 created between the overlapping weakening lines. It is therefore understood that when the closure or screw cap 10 is released by a rotational movement in the opening direction with the cap jacket 2, the tamper-evident strip 3 also rotates around the closure axis 50 and is carried along in the circumferential direction by the retaining bands 15, 16.

[0089] Due to the thread pitch, the cap skirt moves axially upwards, while the tamper-evident band is held in place by a so-called pilferproof ring 21, which is only vaguely visible in the figures. Figure 4A however, the separating webs 11 and 12 as well as one of the retaining bands 15 extending therebetween, while the weakening lines 13, 14 are otherwise widened to a large axial distance.

[0090] Once the screw cap is Figure 4A is unscrewed sufficiently far from the thread of the bottle neck, the screw cap can be removed or tilted sideways, as shown in Figure 4B is shown. Figure 4C shows a state in which the screw cap 10 is already rotated by more than 90° relative to the initial position in Figure 4Atilted or folded over. The tilt angle is defined as the angle between the axis 50 of the container neck and the axis 50' of the cylindrical internal thread of the cap jacket 2, which coincide in the closed state of the closure on the bottle neck, while in the case of the open closure according to Figure 4C the axes 50, 50' have been tilted by approximately 150° relative to each other, starting from the closed position.

[0091] Of particular importance is the interruption area 11, which, due to its connection with the cap jacket, simply represents a relatively stable, axial extension of the cap jacket 2. By tilting the screw cap according to Figure 4C This separating web11 is also tilted in the form of a tab-like extension together with the stable closure jacket and has Figure 4Ca horizontal position (perpendicular to the axis 50) is already slightly exceeded, whereby the retaining straps 15,16 are twisted accordingly.

[0092] The lower edge 11a of the separating web 11 engages with the outside of the bottle neck 20, since the edge 11a is forced to a smaller radius than in the state according to Figure 4A . An upper flank of the pilferproof ring 21 inclined by approximately 30° or slightly less relative to the closure axis 50 supports the folding movement of the separating strip 11 when it slides onto the upper flank of the pilferproof ring 21

[0093] The upper edge of the separating web 11, which is firmly connected to the lower edge of the cap skirt 2, moves accordingly to a larger radius than in the initial state according to Figure 4A. The two retaining bands 15, 16 are twisted and the axial displacement of the upper separating web 11 of the tamper-evident band additionally leads to an effective reduction in the diameter of the tamper-evident band including the separating web 11, particularly in the area of ​​the lower edge 11a.

[0094] This lower edge 11a of the separating web 11 therefore comes into contact with the outside of the bottle neck 20 and frictionally engages therewith, whereby the force occurring between the bottle neck 20 and the separating web 11 or the edge 11a is maximized when the separating web 11 is aligned approximately horizontally, i.e., perpendicular to the bottle neck axis 50. The retaining straps 15, 16 are then under tensile stress.

[0095] If the screw cap and the separating strip 11 are tilted further, the tension in the retaining straps, which exhibit a certain elasticity, is reduced again somewhat, so that the horizontal position of the separating strip 11 defines a dead center. As soon as this dead center is exceeded, the engagement between the separating strip 11 and the bottle neck 20 effectively creates a force that tends to move the screw cap into the further folded position, counteracting elastic restoring forces in the retaining straps 15, 16. Thus, the cap jacket 2 and thus the screw cap 10 as a whole assume a sufficiently stable position beyond the dead center. The screw cap thus remains in a widely opened state even if the bottle neck is rotated or tilted in any direction.

[0096] In this position, the cap jacket is sufficiently far away from the bottle neck opening so that liquid can be poured out of the bottle as well as drunk directly from the bottle without the screw cap still attached to the bottle neck causing any interference.

[0097] Preferably, the screw cap 10 is tilted such that it is in a sufficiently stable position and the cap skirt 2 is at the greatest possible distance from the bottle neck opening. To enable this, within the meaning of the present invention, the pilfer-proof ring 21 on the bottle neck 20 can, among other things, be designed such that the screw cap 10 is pressed radially outward when folded over, thereby resulting in greater torsion of the retaining straps 15, 16 and consequently an increase in the tilt angle.

[0098] In the Figures 5, 6A, 6B , 7, 8A and 8BEmbodiments with pilferproof rings 21 designed in this way are shown.

[0099] Figure 5 shows a side view of a closure in a folded position. The area in which the separating web 11 engages with the bottle neck 20, more precisely with the pilferproof ring 21, is shown in a cross-sectional view and enlarged in Figure 6A shown.

[0100] According to Figure 6AThe profile of the pilferproof ring 21 is essentially triangular. In this case, the profile can also be described as nose-shaped. A lower flank 22 of the pilferproof ring extends almost perpendicular to the axis of the container neck 50. In accordance with the triangular profile, this lower flank 22 converges with an upper flank 24 in a region of maximum diameter. The region of maximum diameter is formed here as a rounded edge, which is also referred to here as a ridge 23 running between the lower flank 22 and the upper flank 24. The upper flank 24 is in the Figure 6A In the embodiment shown, the lower flank is positioned significantly flatter relative to the bottle neck 20 than the lower flank. In this case, the upper flank extends at an angle of approximately 30° to the axis of the container neck 50.

[0101] When screwing on the screw cap 10, the upper separating strip 11 is now lifted over the ridge 23, in which the pilferproof ring 21 has its maximum diameter. During the subsequent tilting, the retaining bands 15 and 16 are twisted, and the lower edge 11A of the separating strip 11 slides onto the upper flank 24 of the pilferproof ring 21. In this case, the separating strip 11 is held further radially outwards by the diameter D of the upper flank 24, which is larger than the outer bottle neck diameter d, in the area swept over by the lower edge 11A of the separating strip 11 than would be possible with the bottle neck diameter d as it otherwise exists between the pilferproof ring 21 and the thread 25 and also at the thread base. Due to this effect, the Figure 5 shown retaining straps 15, 16 a stronger torsion and the screw cap 10 or its axis 50' is tilted at a larger tilt angle relative to the bottle neck axis 50 than would be the case without the Figures 5 and 6A shown profile of the pilferproof ring 21 would be possible.

[0102] At the Figure 5 In the embodiment shown, the tilt angle is approximately 150°.

[0103] Another profile of a Pilferproofring 21 is in Figure 6B Compared to the Figure 6A In this case, the upper flank 24 is even flatter than the bottle neck 20 in the profile shown. The upper flank forms an angle of approximately 10° with the axis 50 of the container neck. Furthermore, the upper flank 24 extends over a larger axial section of the bottle neck 20.

[0104] By means of such a profile of the pilferproof ring 21, as shown in the Figures 6A or 6BAs shown, it can be structurally determined that the separating web 11 or its lower edge 11a remains on the upper flank 24 and thus lies on a larger radius than without the axially extended flank 24 (due to the smaller angle to the axis 50). The larger the radius on which the edge 11a is held after folding over, the more the retaining bands 15, 16 are twisted and the greater the tilt angle of the screw cap 10 in a sufficiently stable end position of the screw cap 10.

[0105] In the Figures 7, 8A and 8B Further examples are shown in which the pilferproof ring 21 has such a profile according to the invention or the bottle neck above the pilferproof ring has corresponding additional elements. Figure 7The profile is designed similar to a trapezoid, with the lower flank 22 extending almost perpendicular to the axis of the container neck 50 and the upper flank 24 at an angle of approximately 45° to the axis of the container neck 50. The area of ​​maximum diameter 23 extends axially upwards to such an extent that the separating web 11 remains largely below the upper flank 24 and is thus pressed radially outwards, again increasing the tilt angle of the screw cap 10 compared to a contact with the smaller (outer) diameter d of the bottle neck 20.

[0106] In Figure 8A A profile of a pilferproof ring 21 is shown, which in the lower part corresponds to the profile from the Figures 5 and 6A The upper flank 24 in the Figure 8AThe embodiment shown merges into a short, cylindrical upper end section 24B, which defines a diameter D that is larger than the smaller diameter d of the bottle neck, against which the separating web 11 or its lower edge rests when the screw cap 10 is folded over. This ensures, in particular, that the screw cap 10 subsequently has a larger tilt angle in a sufficiently stable end position.

[0107] Another alternative is in Figure 8Bshown. In addition to the pilferproof ring 21, the bottle neck here has an annular projection 26 which is arranged circumferentially above the upper flank 24 of the pilferproof ring 21 on the bottle neck. The axial position of the projection 26 is coordinated with the closure or the screw cap with the separating strip 11 in such a way that the latter or its lower edge 11a abuts against the projection 26 from below and thus the screw cap is held at the bottom in the immediate vicinity of the pilferproof ring. Without a projection 29, the bands 15 could pull the upper separating strip and thus the entire screw cap slightly upwards until the edge of the separating strip abuts against the thread. There is little space between the lower end of the neck thread and the pilferproof ring and the possibility of upward movement of the separating strip is very small.However, since the thread runs upward in a helical manner, this axial freedom of movement becomes increasingly greater until, with a single-start thread rotated 360° toward the lower thread start, it reaches almost 2.7 mm with a 2.7 mm pitch, for example. Since it is undesirable to allow the screw cap to come closer to the cheek of the person drinking directly from the bottle due to this freedom of movement, the circumferential projection 26 prevents or impedes this upward movement.

[0108] Figure 9 shows a further screw cap according to the present invention, partially in section. The screw cap 10 has the guarantee band 3 at its lower edge and a sectioned detail A of the lower area of ​​the screw cap, including part of an associated bottle neck 20, is shown as an enlarged detail in Figure 9A shown separately.

[0109] Insert the screw cap 10 into the Figures 9, 9A and 10, 10A is the one in the Figures 5 and 6Ashown screw cap with the exception of the fact that at least the separating web 11 has a radial thickening 11b at its lower edge, which in the present case also extends axially below and at the level of the thickening of the separating web 11 over the entire circumference of the tamper-evident strip 3. The tamper-evident strip has in this section below an imaginary line which lies between the upper and lower weakening lines and at a distance from these, a greater wall thickness than in the case of the Figures 5 and 6 ,

[0110] The thickening 11b, at the lower edge of the separating strip 11, has the purpose of keeping the opened screw cap wide open even when using a thread with a thread depth of more than 1.3 mm, as is the case, for example, in Figure 10 is shown.

[0111] The upper weakening line 13 is due to the cutting plane of the Figure 9not present in the area of ​​the separating web 11. The separating web 11 is thus continuously connected to the cap jacket 2. The axial position of the upper weakening line would be approximately at the level of the maximum diameter of the pilferproof ring 21.

[0112] The fastening part of the tamper-evident band is formed by a flexible band. This consists of a radially inner, upwardly folded part 3a and a radially outer flexible band section 3b, which remains stationary on the bottle neck even after the cap is opened.

[0113] How to Figure 10A which shows an enlarged detail of the closure in the opened position according to. Figure 10As shown, the radial thickening 11b, which here lies in the region of the transition between the upper flank of the pilfer-proof ring 21 and the bottle neck section above it, causes the imaginary radially inner part 11c of the separating web 11 (which corresponds to a separating web without a thickening), and in particular its lower edge, to be pressed radially outwards more strongly by the bottle neck 20 than if the thickening 11b were not present. As a result, the screw cap 10 remains in a stable, widely folded position, for example by 140°, despite the deeper thread profile.

[0114] The Figures 11 - 15 each show the same embodiment of a closure for cardboard packaging, in particular beverage cartons, and are therefore described in conjunction with each other. Figure 1 on average and in Figure 4An external view of a closure base, designated overall by 40, consisting of a flange 31 with a pouring spout 32 attached thereto. The pouring spout has an upper opening and a lower opening, not visible here, which, when the closure is on a cardboard packaging, is initially closed by the surface of the cardboard material to prevent any contamination of the container contents.

[0115] The flange 1 is glued or welded onto a cardboard 45, whereby the welding requires that the cardboard material 45 is provided with a suitable surface coating (e.g. polyethylene).

[0116] The lower part 40 of the closure has an external thread 42 onto which the internal thread 41 of a screw cap 10 can be screwed.

[0117] The pouring spout 40 also has a further internal thread 31, into which a matching external thread of a cutting ring 35 engages, which also has axially projecting and, in the closed state, Figure 1 directly above the surface of the carton 45. A driver 34 engages with a matching counterpart 36 on the cutting ring 35 when the screw cap is turned in the opening direction. Also visible on the flange is a fixing web 7, which is connected to the lower end of the tamper-evident band 30 via two easily breakable bridges 6. The tamper-evident band has, as best seen in Figure 2recognizes, two cutting lines 18, 19, which are defined either by weakened material of the tamper-evident band 30 or, as in the present case, by continuous incisions that are only interrupted by further easily breakable bridges 36, which tear open when the screw cap is opened. The lower cutting line 18 and the upper cutting line 19 overlap one another, in the present case along a circumferential angle of approximately 120°, and each have a lower interrupted section 12 and an upper interrupted section 11. When the screw cap 40 is unscrewed, the easily breakable bridges 6 tear first and very quickly, which indicates that the closure has been rotated at least once by a small angle in the opening direction, which may be sufficient for the cutting elements to pierce the cardboard material 45.

[0118] When the screw cap 40 is rotated further in the opening direction, the easily breakable bridges of the cutting lines also tear, but this does not lead to a complete separation of the screw cap from the tamper-evident band, since the upper interruption section 11 remains connected via the retaining bands 15, 16 (only one of each is visible in the figures) to the lower interruption section 12, which in turn remains connected to the circumferential, stationary lower part of the tamper-evident band 30, which in turn is held in place by the pilfer-proof ring on the lower closure part 10.

[0119] The length of the retaining straps 15,16, ie the length of the overlapping areas of the cutting lines is according to Figure 4adjusted so that the lower edge of the upper interruption section 11, when the screw cap 20 is open and folded over by approximately 150°, engages with the outside of the pouring spout 40 and the retaining straps 15, 16 are under tension, so that this position of the screw cap is held by the screw cap 40 by the tension of the retaining straps and the contact of the lower edge of the interruption section 11, even if the pouring spout is tilted in any direction together with the corresponding container. List of reference symbols

[0120] 1Head plate 2Cap jacket 3Guarantee band 3aInner flexible band section 3bOuter flexible band section 10Screw cap 11aLower edge 11,12Separators 11Bradial thickening 13,14Weakening lines 15,16Retaining bands 20Bottle neck 21Pilferproof ring 22Lower flank 23Area of ​​maximum diameter 24Upper flank 24ALower section of the upper flank 24BUpper end section of the upper flank 25Thread 26Protrusion 50Axis of the container neck 50'Axis of the closure dBottle diameter without thread profile DOuter diameter of the upper flank or the section above

Claims

1. A closure comprising a screw cap (10) with a guarantee band (3), which has at least a cylindrical cap skirt (2) with an internal thread and a peripheral guarantee band (3) at the lower open end of the cap skirt (2), which is connected to the lower rim of the cap skirt along easily tearable weakening lines (13, 14), wherein after tearing along the weakening lines the guarantee band (3) remains non-detachably connected to the cap skirt (2) via holding bands (15, 16), wherein the holding bands (15, 16) are formed by two weakening lines (13, 14) which are each interrupted at least once in the peripheral direction by a separating web (11, 12), partially overlap in the peripheral direction and extend at an axial distance from each other at least in the overlap region, wherein the separating webs (11, 12) of both weakening lines (13, 14) are bridged by the respective other weakening line (14, 13) at an axial distance, characterised in that the guarantee band (3) is configured as a flex band having a radially outer part and a folded-over radially inner part, wherein the separating web (11) of the upper weakening line (13) extends over a circumferential angle of between 10° and 75°, wherein the separating web (12) of the lower weakening line (14) extends over a circumferential angle of between 120° and 200°, wherein the width of the holding bands, measured in the axial direction, is greater than 1 mm and / or the stationary outer guarantee band section in the peripheral region of the holding bands and the upper separating web has an axial width of 2-3 mm.

2. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the closure is configured in such a way that, after opening and lateral folding, an axis of the closure cap assumes a stable position in which it is pivoted through at least 120 degrees, preferably 140 degrees, with respect to the initial position or with respect to the axis of the bottle neck.

3. The closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each weakening line has exactly one separating web and the centre points of the separating webs (11, 12) are located diametrically opposite one another.

4. The closure according to one of the above claims, characterised in that the separating web (11) of the upper weakening line (13) extends over a circumferential angle of between 20° and 60°.

5. The closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the separating web (12) of the lower weakening line (14) extends over a circumferential angle between 170° and 190°.

6. The closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the width, measured in the axial direction, of the upper separating web (11) remaining on the cap skirt (2) is at least half the width of the intact guarantee band (3).

7. The closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the width, measured in the axial direction, of the upper separating web (11) remaining on the cap skirt (2) is at least 1.5 mm, preferably at least 2 mm, in particular at least 2.5 mm and less than 5 mm.

8. The closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the wall thickness of the guarantee band (3) is between 0.5 and 0.8 mm.

9. The closure according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the width of the holding bands, measured in the axial direction, is greater than 2 mm and in particular greater than 2.3 mm.

10. The closure according to any preceding claim, wherein the closure is a carton packaging closure.

11. A combination of a container neck having an external thread and a closure according to any preceding claim.

12. The combination according to the preceding claim, wherein the container neck has, in addition to a pilfer-proof ring (21), an annular projection (26) arranged on the container neck so as to extend around above an upper flank (24) of the pilfer-proof ring (21).

13. The combination according to the preceding claim, wherein the axial position of the projection on the screw cap with the separating web (11) is matched such that the separating web or its lower edge (11a) abuts against the projection (26) from below and the screw cap (10) is thus held in the immediate vicinity of the pilfer-proof ring (21).

14. The combination according to one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the external diameter of the bottle neck (20) above a pilfer-proof ring (21), the internal diameter of the guarantee band (3), and the width and the peripheral extent of the upper separating web (11) are so matched to one another that after twisting to open the screw cap and the subsequent tilting of the screw cap (10), when the holding bands (15, 16) are twisted together with the separating web (11), the free lower edge of the separating web (11a) engages with the bottle neck (20) and, when a tilting angle of more than more than 90° beyond a dead point, so that the outer side of the separating web (11) then comes into contact with the outer side of the bottle neck (20) and the screw cap (10) is stabilised in this position in which it is tilted by more than 90°.

15. The combination according to one of Claims 11 to 14, characterised in in that the external diameter of the bottle neck (20) in an area above a pilfer-proof ring (21), in which the guarantee band (3) of the closure is arranged, is smaller by at most 2.5 mm, preferably at most 1.5 mm, than the nominal internal diameter of the guarantee band (3).