The invention relates to tamper evident snap-on cap for a container with solid dosage forms of pharmaceuticals or food / dietary supplements ("nutraceuticals").

Tamper evident closures of various types have been known for a long time. Known tamper evident closures may comprise a tamper evident ring. Tamper evident closures with tamper evident rings are used for bottles and other containers with closures which generally have a diameter not exceeding 5 to 6 cm. EP 0 202 506 Bl disclose for example a container with a closure comprising a tamper evident ring.

Tamper evident closures known in the state of the art may alternatively comprise a tamper evident tab, which is at least on one side of the closure connected by tear-off/tamper evident webs to the lid and the body of a container and which has to be removed before opening the closure. Tamper evident tabs are often used for cup-like packages made of plastics with a lid and which have a large diameter (more than 5 to 6 cm) compared to i.e. the closures of bottles. It is also known to use tamper evident tabs with tubes as disclosed in FR 2707958 and JP 2004175436.

The closure disclosed in WO 2007/05713 comprises a tamper evident tab and a tamper evident ring.

Other tamper evident closures further comprise a seal covering the opening in the neck of the container such as disclosed in US 6,247,604 Bl .

Solid forms of pharmaceuticals or food / dietary supplements tend to degrade due to moisture or other constituents of the atmosphere, what reduces the shelf life of the containers with pharmaceuticals or food / dietary supplements significantly, especially when in use and frequently being opened. It is well known in these cases to arrange a desiccant or active material like oxygen absorbent, charcoal or the like inside the container together with the pharmaceuticals or food / dietary supplements. However this approach is less and less accepted by the health authorities, patients and consumer because of the risk of accidental swallowing.

Another approach used for vials containing moisture-sensitive pharmaceuticals in solid form which have to be dissolved in water prior use, is to attach the desiccant to the closure of the container as disclosed in US 6,247,604 Bl .

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to develop further the closures known from the state of the art. Especially it shall be avoided to introduce desiccant or active material into the inside of the container together with the pharmaceuticals or food / dietary supplements.

The snap-on cap for a container according to the invention has an opening and a neck proximate to the opening. The term "container" shall be understood to include any kind of volume limited by solid walls including but not limited to tubes, packages or bottles. The snap-on cap comprises a ring-shaped cover wall, an outer circumferential wall extending essentially perpendicular from the cover wall and being adapted to secure the snap-on cap to the outer surface of the neck of the container. A ring-shaped distribution of desiccant or active material is located in a holder on the cover wall, wherein the holder comprises two generally concentric walls defining a ring-shaped cavity and said walls are adapted to extend into the interior of the container when the snap-on cap is attached to the neck. Within the inner wall of the holder there is a central space defining a central passage between the interior and the exterior of the container. The central passage is closed by a removable disc prior to first taking from the container thus providing tamper evidence. A lid is attached to the cover wall or to the outer circumferential wall and adapted to cover the central passage when the lid is closed.

In one embodiment the lid is a flip-flop lid, which is attached to the cover wall or to the outer circumferential wall by a hinge. Preferably the lid has a front tab for opening opposite to the hinge.

The ring-shaped distribution of desiccant or active material can be in a canister shaped like a ring which preferably can be closed by a ring of cardboard to avoid that any abraded parts or dust of the desiccant or active material arrives at the pharmaceuticals or food / dietary supplements inside the container. Alternatively, the ring-shaped distribution of desiccant or active material can be directly compacted and eventually be coated to avoid dust from the desiccant or active material to arrive at the pharmaceuticals or food / dietary supplements inside the container.

The canister of desiccant or active material or the compacted desiccant or active material can be preferably plugged in between the two generally concentric walls attached to the holder by means of a snap fit. This attachment is done so that the active material canister or the compacted active material is possibly removable (waste management), but not easily removable (child safety).

In one embodiment the removable disc is made of plastic material. It may comprise a ring for removing it. In order to be removed by pulling on the attached ring, the removable disc is designed with a thinner and weaker part - compared to the other parts - all around its outside diameter. This weak part is broken when the consumer pulls on the disc by using the attached pull-away ring located on it

In another embodiment the removable disc comprises a membrane sealed to the cover wall all around the central passage. The membrane can be made of a co-extruded-like flexible foil, comprising a first sealant membrane (PE or Surlyn®), an intermediate barrier material, for example plain aluminium foil and an external printed layer for example paper or PET. The membrane can be sealed to the cover wall by means of thermo-sealing or induction sealing.

The height of the two generally concentric walls is in the range from 3 mm to 20 mm, preferably in the range from 5 mm to 10 mm. The height of the ring-shaped distribution of desiccant or active material can be adjusted so that only the required quantity of desiccant or active material(s) is arranged within the snap-on cap. The volume of the ring-shaped distribution of desiccant or active material is in the range from 0.5 cm ³ to 50 cm ³ , preferably in the range form 1 cm ³ to 15 cm ³ .

The diameter of the removable disc is in the range from 10 mm to 100 mm, preferably in the range from 20 mm to 50 mm.

Preferably the snap-on cap is made from a plastic material.

An advantage of the snap-on cap described herein is that the ring-shaped distribution of desiccant or active material is protected from the outside of the container or from accidentally being taken out of the container as it is fixed below the cover wall. The consumer could potentially use the container without discovering the ring-shaped distribution of desiccant or active material. Therefore nearly no one will try to catch the desiccant or active material, as nearly no one will discover it. And even if someone discovers it, as for example a child, the swallowing should not be hazardous, because of the ring-shape which will allow to breathe properly, even if stopped in the throat.

Figures and Examples

Figs, la, b show a cross sectional view of the snap-on cap attached to the neck of a container

Figs, lc shows an exploded cross sectional view of the snap-on cap and the neck of a container

Figs. Id shows an exploded front view of the snap-on cap the neck of a container

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged cross sectional detail of the snap-on cap

Fig. 3 shows a ring-shaped canister for the desiccant or active material

Figs. 4a,b show exploded perspective views of the snap-on cap and the neck of a container Figs. 5a,b show perspective views from the bottom of the snap-on cap and the neck of a container

Figs. 6 a,b,c show perspective views from the top of the snap-on cap and the neck of a container

Figs, la-d show the snap-on cap 10 before the first opening of the removable disc 24. The snap-on cap 10 has a cover wall 14 and an outer circumferential wall 16 extending perpendicular from the cover wall 14. By means of the circumferential wall 16 the snap-on cap 10 is secured to the outer surface of the neck 12 of a container. Two concentric walls 20, 22 are extending perpendicular from the cover wall 14 into the interior of the container define a ring-shaped cavity. The ring- shaped distribution 18 of desiccant or active material is located between the two concentric walls 20, 22 by means of a snap-fit. The central passage within the inner wall 20 is closed by a removable disc 24 with pull-away ring 32. The flip-top lid 26 is attached to the cover wall 14 with hinge 28 and is adapted to cover the central passage.

To take a piece of pharmaceutical or food / dietary supplement from the container, the flip-flop lid 26 has to be opened by grabbing the front tab 30. Subsequently the removable disc 24 has to be removed by using the pull-away ring 32 such that the central passage is free to let pass a piece of pharmaceutical or food / dietary supplement from the container. After taking the piece of pharmaceutical or food / dietary supplement from the container the flip-top lid 26 can be closed again.

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged cross sectional detail of the snap-on cap. Tightness is ensured between the lid 26 and the cover wall 14 or wall 16 as well as between wall 16 or wall 22 and the neck 12 of the container by choice of appropriate material and dimensions of the different parts.

Fig. 3 shows a ring-shaped canister 18 ring-shaped of desiccant or active material. The bottom side (not shown) of the canister 18 may be closed by a ring of cardboard. The canister 18 is adapted to be plugged in between the two concentric walls 20, 22 by means of a snap-fit.

Figs. 4a,b show exploded perspective views of the snap-on cap and the neck of a container. Same reference numerals refer to the same parts of the snap-on cap as described for Fig. la-d. above. Figs. 5a,b show perspective views from the bottom of the snap-on cap and the neck of a container. Same reference numerals refer to the same parts of the snap-on cap as described for Fig. la-d. above. Figs. 6 a,b,c show perspective views from the top of the snap-on cap and the neck of a container. Same reference numerals refer to the same parts of the snap-on cap as described for Fig. la-d. above.