Tamper evident closure

• Main Authors: EASTMAN HAROLD, AHLQUIST ERIC FREDOLIN, WEBB DUDLEY KEITH
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 06.09.2005
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS,e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES,DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; CONVEYING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; PACKAGES; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; STORING; TRANSPORTING

A tamper evident closure ( 1 ) includes a housing ( 5 ) containing a blister pack ( 2 ) and a substrate ( 3 ), wherein the blister pack ( 2 ) contains a first reagent which is visible prior to first opening and the substrate ( 3 ) contains a second reagent. First opening of the closure ruptures the blister pack thereby exposing the first reagent to the second reagent and effecting a reaction that causes a visual change that signals the closure has been opened. The tamper evident closure of the present invention is primarily intended to be used as an anti-counterfeit measure on a spirit or pharmaceutical bottle. In the preferred embodiment, the closure incorporates a liquid that when brought into contact with a reagent chemical contained in an absorbent pad, effects an irreversible color change. This color change will indicate to a consumer the bottle has been previously opened or tampered with. The design makes it very difficult for a counterfeiter to cover up or eradicate the visible effects. In particular, the only way a counterfeiter could do this would be to put in a replacement blister and an absorbent pad. Filling a blister pack with a liquid is a highly specialist task which makes replication very difficult. The ability to control the color change to complement the branded goods provides a way of building up consumer recognition of the product and thereby establishing confidence in those products that carry the tamper evident closure of the present invention.