Tamper-Indicating Closure Cap with Movable Locking Member
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing closure caps or overseals for smaller-sized container openings, such as ¾ inch plugs, face challenges in providing reliable tamper resistance and ease of application while maintaining robustness and preventing unauthorized access, as previous designs either compromise on retention or security due to size constraints and handling issues.
Innovation Solution
A tamper-indicating closure cap or overseal with an annular top wall skirt, a frangible connection, and locking members that move inwardly and upwardly to secure the cap, allowing for easy fitment and secure retention, while a frangible portion enables tamper indication by breaking when attempted removal, preventing reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the attachment portion is miniaturized for use with 3/4 inch plugs, then the closure cap can be used with smaller container openings, but the attachment portion becomes small and fragile, compromising retention and tamper indication reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The closure cap is divided into multiple functional segments: a resilient attachment portion with locking members for secure engagement, a separate tamper-indicating band with frangible connections, and a top wall structure. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the attachment portion provides robust retention while the tamper-indicating band provides reliable security indication, even in miniaturized form
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the closure cap have different structural properties tailored to their specific functions. The attachment portion is made resilient and flexible to engage with the plug, while the tamper-indicating band is designed with frangible connections that break under specific conditions. This local differentiation of material properties and structural characteristics enables the miniaturized cap to maintain both retention and tamper indication reliability
2Reliability
If a sharply radiussed or unradiussed bead is used for retention, then tamper resistance is improved, but greater axially applied force is required to snap-fit the overseal to the peripheral groove
Solution Approach 1:
The locking members are designed as resilient elements that can dynamically change their configuration during installation. They flex outwardly to allow easy snap-fit engagement with the peripheral groove, then resiliently return to their inwardly projecting locked position. This dynamic behavior eliminates the need for high installation forces while maintaining strong tamper resistance in the final installed state
Solution Approach 2:
The structural parameters of the locking members are specifically optimized to provide different characteristics during different phases of operation. During installation, the members are flexible and compliant to facilitate easy engagement. Once engaged, they provide rigid mechanical locking with high resistance to removal attempts. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between ease of fitment and tamper resistance
3Reliability
If the cap or overseal is made robust to prevent destruction during handling, then tamper indication reliability is improved, but ease of removal in authorized manner becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The tamper-indicating function is extracted as a separate structural element - the tamper-indicating band with its frangible connections - rather than relying on the overall robustness of the entire cap structure. This allows the main body of the cap to be optimized for easy removal while the extracted tamper-indicating component provides the necessary security and reliability during handling and removal operations
Data Source
AI summary
A tamper indicating closure cap or overseal comprises a top wall, and an annular top wall skirt attached to a periphery of the top wall. A locking member is attached to the top wall skirt so as to be movable between:i) a first position projecting inwardly with respect to the top wall for application of the closure cap or overseal to a container opening and/or to a container closure plug andii) a second position projecting inwardly and upwardly towards the top wall, thereby to lock the closure cap or overseal to the container closure and/or closure plug.